The American sanctions on Tehran offer the country an opportunity to redirect its economic diplomacy toward neighboring and eastern countries, especially traditional partners such as India, China and Russia, a lawmaker said.
The sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal were reimposed last year by the United States after it unilaterally left the accord.
The European Union had pledged to keep its financial channels open, but has also failed to protect its trade with Iran.
Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, a member of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, stressed that economic relations with eastern countries have always been crucial, but it takes on an added importance at the time of sanctions.
"Although looking to the East and to neighbors had been neglected for around five years, now is a great opportunity to establish and build up relations with countries such as China, Russia and India," he said in an interview with ICANA.
Hosseini regretted that experts' warnings against relying too much on the West in economic affairs were disregarded.
"Now, our diplomacy regarding relations with the East has changed and we are dealing with our traditional partners … which could be a big achievement for our country," he said, citing Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif's recent trip to Asian countries.
It is essential, he added, to earn the trust of neighboring countries, such as Pakistan, so as to maintain and expand bilateral cooperation.
"Despite the potential for collaboration with Pakistan, this country had been ignored, prompting it to change its attitude toward Iran under international pressure," he said.
Leader’s Directive
Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had already called on authorities to "look to the East", since the West has proved unreliable.
"Looking to the West, to Europe and the like, has no benefit for us except trouble, imploration, disgrace and being kept waiting," he had said last October.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that there are countries [in the east] that Iran can deal with on an equal footing.
"We help them and they help us," he said.
Along this line, the Foreign Ministry is following the agenda of strengthening ties with eastern countries.
Zarif embarked on a tour of Asian countries, including Turkmenistan, India, Japan and China, last week to discuss the future of nuclear deal and ways of normalizing bilateral trade in the face of US threats.
