There is a Feasible Opportunity to Negotiate with the US Government and Engage with the International Community!

There is a Feasible Opportunity to Negotiate with the US Government and Engage with the International Community!

Finally, the crucial outcome of the 2020 US presidential election was determined by the victory of Democratic candidate Joe Biden. This election and its outcome is a historic event with significant global repercussions, accompanied by breathtaking and close competition between the candidates of the two main American parties.

The defeat of Donald Trump was a victory for people who are committed to the values ​​and principles of democracy, environmental protection, multilateralism in resolving global issues, lasting stability and peace and attention to science-based approaches to governance.

Trump's withdrawal from global treaties, his disregard for environmental issues, his attempt to re-establish coercive relations in the form of "America First," his struggle with global accomplishments to expand free trade, multilateral relations and participatory approach to conflict resolution created a new wave of instability in the world, which, due to the unpredictability of his decisions and behavior, has caused more global damage in the last four years than ever before.

Trump's unjustified withdrawal from the JCPOA and the imposition of heavy unilateral economic sanctions in the form of "maximum pressure" policy, although severely strained the Islamic Republic, but most of all expanded the livelihood problems of the Iranian people, especially the poor and low-income groups and caused irreparable damage to Iran's development infrastructures.

We, the three secular and democratic Republican organizations and parties, express our satisfaction with this event and hope that international relations will return to the rationality and conventional practices which can play an important role in curbing the rise of far-right and their mutual influence in inciting other extremist tendencies. Also, with due attention to Biden's stated policy on JCPOA, change in the United States is an opportunity to return to the negotiating table, discuss the two countries' differences and most importantly, lift JCPOA related sanctions in the current Corona crisis.

Contrary to the unrealistic and imaginative notions of some of the political forces advocating the "maximum pressure" campaign, by putting the Islamic Republic in a tight spot and cutting its foreign exchange earnings, the Trump administration wanted to put key government officials at the negotiating table, reach an agreement and force new and more concessions around the security considerations of the United States and its regional allies. Human rights issues and the demands of the Iranian people had no place in the policies of the Donald Trump administration.

Of course, during this period, some opposition political forces tried to advance their desired political project with the intervention of the US government in changes and the formation of a transitional government abroad, without paying attention to the domestic militant forces, which did not succeed.

Now, after this experience, it is necessary to emphasize once again that trying to persuade the US government to pursue "regime change" policy is wrong and contrary to national dignity and the principle of independence. Also, trying to bring the US government into the domestic political equations of Iran to strengthen the position of a faction and advance its political projects is a wrong move and has negative consequences.

The transition of power in the White House in the current situation is another emphasis on the fact that Iran's domestic political issues and related developments should be decided and managed based on internal variables and the interactions and integration of internal forces within the framework of components such as "consideration of national interests", "political pluralism", "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" and "country's independence Requirements”. Foreign governments, including the US government, can only put pressure on the Islamic Republic to comply with its global obligations under human rights conventions and treaties. Now, with the elimination of unrealistic notions, there is a better opportunity to strengthen the domestic struggles and organize forces against the Islamic Republic.

Past experiences and events that took place before and after the adoption of JCPOA highlight the fact that there is no will in the Islamic Republic to change regional and tense policies. The Islamic Republic, with its Strategic Depth Doctrine and expansionist policy, has wasted most of the country's resources and facilities, and with its policy of hostility in the region and the world, has isolated the country and caused a miserable life for our people.

Thus, engaging with the world and de-escalating tense relations between Iran and the United States require changing regional policies, abandoning long-standing hostility to the United States and abandoning Israel's annihilation policy. Returning to JCPOA, if not accompanied by change in these policies, will not have a significant capacity to solve problems.

We believe that de-escalating tension and lifting economic sanctions that are harmful to the people is in the interest of the country and in the national interest. Therefore, we are emphasizing demands such as lifting of economic sanctions that are problematic for the livelihood and health of the people, return to JCPOA, change in regional policies, and the de-escalation of tension with the US government.

We hope that the inauguration of the Biden administration will be a turning point in reducing instability in the world and strengthening multilateral approaches.

Political-Executive Boards of:

United Republicans of Iran

The Left Party of Iran (People’s Fadaian)

Union for Secular Republic and Human Rights in Iran (USRHR)

November 11, 2020