To prevent tea stains, we must make the right choice

To prevent setbacks, we must make choices.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif wrote on his Instagram.

A few years ago, in response to a difficult question, I chose to speak for ourselves. Many were hurt by those words. I apologize for not expressing myself more clearly, which may have caused more pain. The late Professor Rouhollah Ramazani, a prominent expert on Iranian foreign policy in the United States, analyzes Iran’s foreign policy over the past five hundred years. Iran sought to regain the territory it once possessed and often failed to understand the gap between these goals and the available resources to achieve them.

Throughout history, we have pursued our goals based on our desires without considering our capabilities.

Our historical inclination to pursue our desires without considering the available resources is evident not only in foreign policy but also in the formation of narrow and congested roads behind every narrow tunnel. In 75 years of development planning, our national resources have been destroyed and development has not been achieved because most programs have focused on drawing a path to compensate for backwardness rather than aligning with resources and opportunities. This has been the talk of wishful thinking by the country’s leaders.

Consciously or unconsciously, we, the people, have chosen to condemn those who have pursued our desires, even if they have caused significant damage to themselves and the country, and to commend those who have tried to minimize the damages caused by aspirational actions, labeling them as accommodating or even traitorous.

By the way, not only do we, the people, but also our elites, criticize those who, in the Treaty of Gulistan, gave away more parts of the lost land and even Iran’s independence in the hope of reclaiming the lost territory, or those who, in the Turkmenchay Treaty, managed to reclaim at least a portion of the recently lost land.

To prevent more Turkmenchay-like situations, we must choose to pursue our desires within the framework of our capabilities.

But even in our words, we consider paying attention to capabilities inappropriate.

Why is negative accommodation and positive non-accommodation preferable? Because accommodation means reaching a point of common ground and balance to move towards ideals. However, there is another way to achieve ideals: having aspirations gives direction to life, but considering capabilities enables progress towards ideals.

Today, our need is for proper understanding and intelligent choices, bordering on idealism and relying on capabilities.