Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan is the editor of the Milli Gazette, fortnightly newspaper of the Indian Muslims. Recently he was part of an Indian delegation that visited Iran. Kahiful-ul-huda of TwoCircles.net spoke to him about Iran, its nuclear ambitions and influence it has in West Asia.
TCN: What was the purpose of your Iran visit?
Zafar: I was part of a delegation that consists of Indian journalists and some experts on nuclear issues. We were invited by Iranian Ministry of Energy, to explain Iranian policy about their nuclear affairs. We were able to talk to various experts on this issue including the Minster.
We were the first foreign people to visit the Uranium enrichment plant near Isfahan.
TCN: What did you observe?
Zafar: The impression of the delegation was that Iran is not in a position to make nuclear bombs. It does not have enough Uranium or facilities. What they say that they want to use nuclear power for just peaceful purposes seems to be correct.
TCN: Then why Iran needs to use nuclear energy when it has abundance of oil and natural gas?
Zafar: It is a matter of national pride for them. Oil and natural gas is not going to be there forever. It is possible that they may not have these resources after 50 years; so they want to preserve their resources.
Additionally, they are signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which gives them the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Iran has signed this treaty which India and Pakistan have not and still they are recognized as nuclear powers.
Under NPT Iran is fully entitled for nuclear energy development and not only that other nuclear powers like the United States are required under this treaty to help them for this purpose.
So, it is for them a matter of national pride before anything else.
TCN: What do you think of the recent rationing of gasoline by Iran and public response to it?
Zafar: I don’t think that they have energy crisis but it is a move by the Iranian government to ration the use of energy by the Iranians.
When I was there, I was told that gasoline there is cheaper than water and heavily subsidized by the government. So they would like to use this national wealth cautiously and that they pay the real price of the gasoline.
People of Iran, just like anywhere would like to get it as cheap as possible.
TCN: What options Iran has in the face of increasing pressure from EU and US?
Zafar: The pressure really comes from Israel. Israel is concerned that it should remain the only nuclear power in the Middle East. It should be able to use that option at will. It should be able to threaten other states within that region as Israel has been doing for the last 40 years or as long as I can remember.
So, it is an Israeli problem that they want to remain the sole nuclear power in the Middle East and they would not like to see even a friendly nation like Egypt to turn nuclear. Because of Israeli pressure America and other powers are against Iran’s nuclear ambition.
Iran, I think, is playing this issue in a very just and wise manner. They have been able to use the regional issues like Iraq to put pressure on America and other international powers to their favor.
TCN: Do you think Iran is trying to counter Israel’s influence by getting involved in Lebanon and Palestine? And how much influence Iran has in these matters?
Zafar: I don’t think Iran has much influence in Palestine but it certainly has some influence in Syria and Lebanon. It supports Hezbollah in every way possible. Also, it supports Syria.
As far as Palestine is concerned, I don’t think they are supporting any player there. They might be sympathetic to Hamas, but they are not supporting it and I can say that with some authority.
TCN: Do you think interaction between Iran and the United States on Iraq will open a new chapter of dialogue and understanding between the two countries?
Zafar: Iran has been cultivating all possible avenues in Iraq very wisely. Now, America is dependent on Iran to continue their control over Iraq and even to stay in Iraq. If Iran wants it can make things really hot in Iraq. So, this is one of the ways that Iran is using to thwart American pressure on it.
Listen to this interview :