TEHRAN - Mohammad Sadegh Kharrazi, a former Iranian diplomat, said on Wednesday that the liberalism being sought by the U.S. is nothing by “selfishness”.

The global arrogance provides no country with “freedom” and “power”, Kharrazi said during a speech at the Islamic Azad University of Arak.

Kharrazi, who served as Iran’s ambassador to Paris from 2002–2006, also said today Iran is in “one of its most important junctures in history” in view of the roles that it is playing efficiently at the regional and international scene.  

The reform-minded political activist said the policy that Iran is following currently is not comparable to the past and those who are knowledgeable about history and the criterion of evaluating “effectiveness” in the international system judge the current situation with two different views:

One view is that Iran is forced to conform its domestic principles to the international ones, and the other view is that the first approach will undermine the country’s “preemptive power” and weakens bases of national security. 
Such a view also argues such a policy opens the door for presence of foreigners in the country and this will hurt national “independence and freedom.”

He also said the nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), led to the removal of sanctions and also recognition of the country’s right to nuclear technology.

Iran and the 5+1 group (the U.S., Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany) signed the nuclear deal in July 2015 which took effect in January 2016.

NA/PA