UAE and Turkey: Victors of Sanctions and Lifting Sanctions on Iran

Radio Farda - What consequences will the signing of the "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" (JCPOA) and the prospect of lifting sanctions against Iran have for Iran's economic relations with its neighbors? Mir Ali Hosseini has asked Fereydoun Khavand about the implications of this agreement on Iran's economic relations with its neighbors: Fereydoun Khavand: One of the main consequences of the "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action," which was signed on July 14 in Vienna, is the continuous arrival of Western political and economic delegations in Iran and the readiness of major European and possibly American companies to actively enter a market whose potential capacities are at the center of attention of international financial circles. Conversely, a topic that receives less attention is the impact of this new situation on Iran's relations with its distant and nearby neighbors. We know that some of the countries surrounding Iran have profited greatly from the sanctions imposed on the country over the past few years, with the most notable being the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Based on evaluations conducted in both regional financial and commercial circles as well as in Western circles, now that the sanctions are set to be lifted, the UAE and Turkey will again be among the countries that will benefit the most from Iran's economic opening. How is it possible that countries like the UAE and Turkey have benefited from both the sanctions on Iran and their lifting? This contradiction is an example of the complexity of international relations and simultaneously shows that some countries are ready to quickly adapt to changes. During the sanctions, both the UAE and Turkey were able to secure their interests by responding to some of Iran's needs, taking advantage of Iran's isolation. Today, on the brink of the imminent lifting of sanctions, these two countries, given their deep understanding of the Iranian market and their service capabilities, including in commerce, banking, and transportation, can once again play an important role in Iran's exchanges with the world. Furthermore, Turkey is trying to increase its exports to Iran, considering the economic opening and the prospect of increasing Iran's growing capacities in financial and commercial areas. Apart from the UAE and Turkey, what impacts will the lifting of sanctions have on Iran's economic relations with its other neighbors? If Iran emerges from the pressure of sanctions, it will undoubtedly be able to play a more active role in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. Overall, if the normalization of Iran's position proceeds without obstacles, it can have a very positive impact on regional economic convergence and reduce tensions in the Middle East, which unfortunately is currently burning in the fires of ethnic and religious crises.