Zarif: Ending the war and achieving lasting peace requires a new approach to regional security

Zarif: Ending the war and achieving lasting peace requires a new approach to regional security

Mohammad Javad Zarif, former foreign minister and director of the think tank Payab, wrote in Foreign Affairs:

If this region can build joint and meaningful institutions, it can experience unprecedented development. The region has abundant natural resources, deeply rooted civilizations, and young, educated populations.

Iran, on its own, has a vast geographical expanse, advanced scientific expertise, and human capital by global standards. The Arab countries offer unparalleled financial capacities, investment, and managerial capabilities, along with global commercial networks.

Pakistan and Turkey also bring impressive industrial capabilities, strategic weight, and a notably significant communications position.

There is no need for West Asia to remain a prisoner of its turbulent past. Recent confrontations not only exposed the catastrophic costs of the conflict, but also revealed the fundamental limitations of a policy of applying pressure.

Washington and the Arab countries must accept that Iran is a lasting reality in the regional outlook, and that this neighborhood cannot lead to stability by removing it.

At the same time, Iran should pair its renewed confidence with opening a door of amity to its neighbors, and pursue security—not only through deterrence, but also through the lens of joint cooperation. And the world must accept the reality that lasting stability cannot be injected into West Asia from outside, nor can it be imposed through applying pressure. This stability must be shaped by the will and agency of the peoples and governments of the region.