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On Monday, Iran and the US signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war, with several countries in the region playing an important role in securing the agreement and making intensive efforts to provide the necessary political groundwork for it.
These diplomatic efforts reflect a clear understanding of the importance of stability in this vital region, whose repercussions extend beyond the regional level and directly affect international security. But does the American war imposed on Iran, along with its regional ramifications, represent a setback to the traditional regional order we have known for decades, or does it reflect a reassessment of the foundations of the previous system and mark a turning point in the shaping of a new order? And in such a pivotal historical moment, should efforts not be directed toward shaping a new regional order founded on security and stability for all, while placing greater emphasis on economic growth and development? These are questions we do not seek to answer directly but rather to explore from a positive perspective in search of the most constructive path forward.
In theory, the new order emerging from the 40-day war may be defined by four main features that set it apart from the previous one.
Firstly, the new regional order is founded on a nonpolar framework in which multilateral cooperation among the region’s states is based on equality, moving away from the old pattern of polarization that set one bloc against another. This proposed order is carried by its eight constituent states, without exclusion and within a framework of sustained interdependence. Regional security, in this model, is a shared responsibility, with no direct role for external powers, which would instead cooperate with the new system.
The new regional order is founded on a nonpolar framework in which multilateral cooperation is based on equality
Ali Reza Enayati
Secondly, political solutions must stay at the forefront of addressing all outstanding issues in the region, rather than reducing the broader reality to the 40-day war alone. Lasting peace and stability cannot be achieved as long as other conflicts remain unresolved and economic sanctions are not lifted.
Thirdly, moving beyond an excessive focus on the geopolitical foundations of relations among the countries of the region, especially in light of the weak economic cooperation between them. No future solution can succeed without strengthening trade, expanding economic cooperation among regional states and giving greater priority to development projects.
Finally, respect for the shared destiny of the region’s countries in matters of security and development is essential, as neither can be achieved in one part of the region at the cost of instability in another. What is needed is a comprehensive framework that embraces all states without fragmenting their security or development. The experience of war has shown that security is indivisible and that all states must contribute to safeguarding it and benefit from it equally.
It is important to note that there is broad scope for regional and international interdependence with developments in the region in pursuit of legitimate interests. However, it should also be emphasized that the Zionist entity should have no place in these equations because, unlike other states, it is not a natural part of the region. Rather, it is a colonial project imposed through an apartheid system against the Palestinians and one that seeks to generate crises across the region.
It is essential to emphasize that, if the region is to overcome the security dilemma it currently faces, it must move beyond the previous order and give greater priority to nonpolarity, the peaceful resolution of all disputes, recognition of a shared destiny and reliance on its own capabilities.
To realize the desired goals of building a new security system, the Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to cooperate with its neighbors, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to work together toward shaping a brighter future in which the region’s countries enjoy economic and commercial growth, ensuring well-being and prosperity for generations to come.
- Ali Reza Enayati is Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.