Zarif's Regional Tour and Iran's Approach After the Nuclear Agreement

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, continued his regional tour by traveling from Pakistan to India on Thursday evening. Upon his arrival in New Delhi, Zarif stated that his visit provides a suitable opportunity for the two countries to "expand their relations after the nuclear agreement and the removal of some obstacles." The Iranian Foreign Minister announced that the goals of his trip to India include discussions on combating extremism and violence, as well as enhancing bilateral relations. During his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Zarif referred to the outcomes achieved through the nuclear agreement with the P5+1 countries and expressed optimism about the potential for bilateral relations to take significant and broader steps in the new context. Modi also highlighted the implications of the Chabahar port development project and the railway to Central Asia, calling for the swift convening of a joint commission between the two countries. The connection of Chabahar port to the railway network and its extension to Mashhad could serve as a strategic link for Central Asian countries and Afghanistan to access international waters, thereby enhancing Iran's role in economic activities in Central Asia, Russia, and Europe. Issues related to Afghanistan and Syria were also discussed during the meeting between Zarif and Modi. Before visiting India and Pakistan, Zarif made brief trips to Lebanon and Syria, but his trip to Turkey was canceled due to what Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, described as "Zarif's tight travel schedule." Mehrdad Khansari, a former diplomat residing in London, summarized Zarif's second regional tour by stating, "After the conclusion of the JCPOA, one of the goals of the Islamic Republic's government has been to repair relations and take steps toward regional reconciliations, which has been somewhat successful in the Persian Gulf. This has been a preliminary step, and in Lebanon and Syria, given the emergence of the Islamic State and extremist forces such as Jabhat al-Nusra and al-Qaeda, the extremism previously attributed to Iran has significantly decreased, and the proposals Iran offers are more aligned with the current international community than, say, three or four years ago. Regarding countries like Pakistan and India, the likelihood of lifting economic sanctions has increased significantly, paving the way for economic cooperation as well." Furthermore, discussions on the Syrian issue and combating ISIS were among the most important aspects of Zarif's regional tour. Ahmad Hashemi, a former Foreign Ministry employee and independent journalist residing in Turkey, stated that the threat of ISIS has become increasingly evident, and the previous implicit or direct support from regional countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, and others, which were accused of supporting or turning a blind eye to ISIS's movements, has diminished. For instance, Turkey has joined the anti-ISIS campaign and is even discussing the establishment of a safe zone and providing its bases for American forces, creating a balance against Assad. When we consider all these factors together, we conclude that after this nuclear agreement, the significance of Zarif's visits to Syria and Lebanon has doubled. Zarif's visit to India comes at a time when this country has announced its intention to release $1.4 billion of Iran's frozen assets from oil purchases. Zarif's second round of regional travels began on Tuesday and concluded with his visit to India.