Debate Continues In Tehran If Ukraine Crisis Helps Iran In Nuclear Talks

Media in Iran are hotly debating whether the Ukraine crisis will help Iran in its nuclear talks in Vienna or altogether lead to the failure of the negotiations.

Some commentators see benefits for the Islamic Republic as world powers are entangled in the biggest international confrontation since the 1960s Cuban Missiles crisis.

International relations analyst Mohammad Javad Jamali Nobandegani told Nameh News in Tehran, "We do not support the war, but problems created for some of the negotiators in Vienna could turn out to be in Iran's interest." He added that Russia as a country under sanctions could help Iran against “a common enemy."

He argued the West's inability to support Ukraine, might lead to a change of approach among Iran's neighbors who usually rely on the United States in their confrontation with Tehran.

This could have been a reference to the United Arab Emirates and other regional countries with good ties with Washington.

Former lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, on the other hand belives that the invasion of Ukraine has revealed Russia's weakness and that it is time for Iran to engage in direct talks with the United States and get rid of Russia as a mediator who is normally motivated by its own interest as Iran's rival in the global oil and gas market.

Iranian state TV commentator Jafar Ghannadbashi agreed with Falahatpisheh and said in an interview with Farda News that the situation is ripe for Iran to get concessions from the West. He said Russia's problems in Ukraine can affect Iran's nuclear talks although the extent of the impact of the Ukraine crisis on the nuclear talks depends on many factors.Ghannadbashi added that some analysts have exaggerated the impact of the Ukrainian crisis on the fate of the nuclear talks.

As a result of this crisis, Europe and America on the one hand, and Russia on the other, wish to garner support for their positions. This situation prompts both to offer concessions and this could end up in Iran’s interest, he said, adding that confrontations between big powers, which is reminiscent of the Cold War, can always serve the interests of countries like Iran.

Meanwhile, International relations expert and former diplomat Jalal Sadatian told Nameh News that there is no direct link between the war in Ukraine and the nuclear negotiations in Vienna. He said Iran might change its positions based on new developments but aggression against another country is absolutely not acceptable.

No politician in Iran has taken a tough stance in condemnation of Russia's aggression. This behavior has been criticized by some experts. However, those who support Russia's position expect Moscow to influence the negotiations in Vienna, Sadatian said.

However, he insisted that Iran should not act based on its ties with Russia and should condemn the war. "There is no justification for aggression against another country.

Meanwhile, he ruled out the hypotheses about the West and particularly the United States are tied up with the Ukraine crisis and will possibly cave in to Iran’s demands.

However, Sadatian agreed that the crisis in Ukraine could indirectly affect Iran. "For instance, now that we can sell more oil, the rise in the price of oil is in our interest. But this should not mislead us to believe that Russia, China, the European troika and the United States will forget about Iran's ambitions. I believe that is a simplistic analysis," Sadatian, a former adviser to former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, said.