EAM JAISHANKAR'S VISIT TO IRAN
India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) visited Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. This marks a landmark event attempting to reset the ties with Iran that have been under strain in recent times. This is the EAM’s second visit in a month and it comes amid a sharp escalation of the fighting in Afghanistan between the Taliban and the Afghan security forces.
IMPORTANCE OF IRAN FOR INDIA
Geo-strategic Outreach: India views Iran as key to access land-locked Afghanistan and Central Asia through Chabahar Port. Iran’s geographical position is paramount to India’s geopolitical outreach, especially to Central Asia, a rich reservoir of natural resources. Similarly, Iran is vital for India’s access to Afghanistan in which India has immense strategic and security interests. Further, India has been developing the Chabahar port in a bid to bypass the impediments placed by Pakistan in the way of its attempts to trade with Afghanistan.
Energy Security: Iran, one of the richest countries in hydrocarbons and India, a rapidly growing economy with a deep thirst for energy - make them natural partners.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VISIT
Reasons for Tussle in India-Iran Relationship: India cancelling oil imports from Iran due to US sanctions.
- Slow progress in Chabahar port.
- Tussle over Farzad-B Gas Field.
- Iranian comments on Kashmir over the past few years.
Security Concerns Emanating From Afghanistan: Visit comes amidst rapid developments in Afghanistan, with the US completing the pull-out of troops and the Taliban increasing its attacks on Afghan cities. The rapid advance of Taliban concerns both India and Iran. Given this context, and common interests, it is necessary for India and Iran to cooperate more closely, particularly on Afghanistan.
Associated Challenges: India’s Exclusion in Afgan Peace Process: Another “Troika plus” meeting, the U.S.-Russia-China-Pakistan grouping on Afghanistan peace process, is going to be held in Doha. However, India and Iran, which are two regional powers, are being left out.
Persisting Sanctions on Iran: Despite campaign promises to reverse the Donald Trump policy on Iran, US President Joe Biden’s administration is yet to withdraw most of the additional sanctions placed in 2017-2018.
CONCERNS FOR INDIA
- Iran’s growing proximity to China. Furt her, Iran seems to be sceptical of India’s diplomatic ties with the USA.
- Farzad-B gas Field: India needs gas and Iran remains one of the best options as geographically, Iran is closest to India of all the countries in the Persian gulf region. Further, it could have improved India-Iran ties as the crude oil import from Iran remains impacted due to the USA sanctions. Chabahar is not only a key to maritime relations between both the countries, but also provides an opportunity to India to reach Russia and Central Asia. Further, it allows India to bypass Pakistan which had blocked Indian aid to Afghanistan and all trade over land.
EBRAHIM RAISI ELECTED AS IRAN'S NEW PRESIDENT
Ultra-conservative cleric and judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi was inaugurated as Iran's eighth president on August 3, 2021. Ebrahim Raisi said in his inauguration speech that his new government will seek to lift the “oppressive US sanctions, but would not tie the nation's standard of living to the will of foreigners". Ebrahim Raisi replaces moderate President Hassan Rouhani who was not allowed the run for a third consecutive term by the Iranian constitution. He congratulated the people for their choice after Raisi's win.
TOP CHALLENGES BEFORE EBRAHIM RAISI
Ebrahim Raisi will have to tackle the challenge of reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement from which the United States had withdrawn and then imposed sweeping sanctions on the nation. The landmark agreement had been reached under moderate president Hassan Rouhani's term. The agreement was signed between Iran and six major powers. He also faces warnings from the US, Britain and Israel to Iran over a deadly tanker attack last week for which Iran denies responsibility. Iran is also facing economic challenges, which has been further impacted by the US Sanctions. This would be the new president's top challenge.
IRANIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS 2021
Raisi had won the Iranian presidential elections in June with 61.95 percent of the vote. The elections saw a total voter turnout of 48.8 percent, which is the lowest turnout for a presidential election since the 1979 revolution. More than half of the electorate abstained from voting after many political heavyweights were barred from standing in the elections. Ebrahim Raisi had got 28,933,004 votes, while former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei finished third with 3,412,712 votes. He was followed by moderate candidate Abdolnasswer Hemmati with 2,427,201 votes and conservative Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi with 999,718 votes. Void votes finished second in the Presidential race with 3,726,870 such votes, which is happening for the first time since the establishment of the Islamic Republic. Mohsen Rezaei, Abdolnaser Hemmati and Amir Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi had conceded defeat ahead of the announcement of Raisi's win.
FIRST IRANIAN PRESIDENT TO FACE US SANCTIONS
Ebrahim Raisi has become the first Iranian president to be sanctioned by the United States even before assuming office as he was designated in 2019.
The United States blacklisted Ebrahim Raisi in 2019 for his role in the:
-Mass execution of political prisoners in 1988.
-Crackdown on the 2009 Green Movement protests.
-Administration of oversight over the executions of individuals who were juveniles at the time of their crime.
ABOUT EBRAHIM RAISI
Ebrahim Raisi grew up in the northeastern city of Mashhad, which is an important religious centre for Shia Muslims where Imam Reza, the eighth Shia religious leader, is buried. He has studied under some of Iran's most prominent Muslim scholars, including Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei. He initially served as the prosecutor for several jurisdictions, then he moved to Tehran in 1985 after being appointed deputy prosecutor. He then moved up the ranks in the judicial system in March 2016 and was appointed by the supreme leader as the custodian of the Astan-e Quds Razavi, which is the influential shrine of Imam Reza. He had run for presidential elections against Rouhani in 2017 as well but he had garnered just 38 percent of the vote then.
TEST YOURSELF
Q.1 From the given options ,which of the following have recently visited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Iranian President?
- Narendra Modi
- Jaishankar: ANSWER
- Rajnath Singh
- None of the following
Q.2 Which of the following political leaders of Iran became the new President of Iran?
- Ebrahim Raisi: ANSWER
- Hassan Rouhani
- Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
- Mohammad Khatami
Q.3 The newly sworn in President has become the first Iranian president to be sanctioned by the United States even before assuming office as he was designated in 2019 for his role in the?
- Mass execution of political prisoners in 1988.
- Crackdown on the 2009 Green Movement protests.
- Administration of oversight over the executions of individuals who were juveniles at the time of their crime.
- All of the above: ANSWER
Q.4 Which of the following ports is a seaport located in Gulf of Oman, Iran & strategically important for India as well?
- Gwadar Port
- Hambantota Port
- Chabahar Port: ANSWER
- Trincomalee Port
Q.5 Which of the following statements is/are incorrect about the advantages of the Chabahar Port?
- Port plays an important role for Iran as well as for India.
- India will be able to reach Afghanistan directly
- It will act as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port.
- None of the above: ANSWER
