The golden time for Pezeshkian is limited
The golden time for Pezeshkian is limited, the golden time for Masoud Pezeshkian, the elected president, is quickly passing by
Sooner or later, with the end of the honeymoon of joys and usual compliments related to electoral victory, it will be time for critiques and opinions about the outlook, method of policy implementation, and the team of the fourteenth government
At that time, which is not far, Pezeshkian will face a wave of demands from the people, political authority, aligned and rival currents and spectrums
It is at this time that the elected president truly puts himself to the test. Will Pezeshkian’s approach and his accompanying team arise from the intentions and demands that voters pursued in their choice, or will he, perhaps inattentive or less attentive to his electoral base, fall into the trap of pragmatism, merely playing the role of a peacemaker
A situation that more or less his predecessors faced, quickly falling under the critics’ knife. There is a saying among politicians that every great achievement remains a dream until it is realized
Now, President Pezeshkian, without merely relying on his initiative to create reforms, must show the courage to execute them in practice
In fact, political courage lies in fulfilling the promises made to the people
President Pezeshkian, with the backing of his experience in the government and legislative branch, knows well that, as Deng Xiaoping, the architect of modern China, said, crossing the river begins with feeling the stones
Pezeshkian needs to maintain his composure in the executive branch just as much as he appeared strong and decisive during the electoral competition against his rivals
The virtue lies in loyalty to promises and the courage to act on them. The elected president, during this honeymoon period, needs to distinguish key matters from ordinary ones by selecting a team committed to what has been called the ideals of the fourteenth government and maintain the support of the people as the backing for his actions in the basket of costs and benefits of this approach
Foreign policy is one of the main and key issues at a critical juncture that has plunged the country into a maze of problems. The problem regarding foreign policy among rival intellectual and political schools is an incomplete understanding of its concept
Those with this incomplete conceptual understanding, who call themselves idealists, have obstructed every reformist approach in foreign policy
They do not differentiate between foreign policy and foreign relations and, in a naive perception, consider establishing relations with certain distant and nearby governments as the essence of foreign policy
This is while foreign policy is a function of a strategic outlook arising from national interests, which primarily defines and determines each country’s national identity in the global anarchic system
Therefore, in the global community, and despite changes in governments, national policies of countries not only do not change, but each government claims to pursue national goals on two levels of interests and security for their people
Reducing the concept of foreign policy to foreign relations is a danger that threatens the country’s interests as if putting all eggs in one basket
This is the same misunderstanding of the concept of foreign policy that has caused the country to face various problems in providing resources, both financial and commercial, while also encountering internal economic weakness and instability
President Pezeshkian rightly stood against those with a reduced approach to the concept of foreign policy during the electoral competition, although he has not yet provided the necessary theoretical frameworks on this matter
Overcoming the perception of foreign relations instead of foreign policy, especially in opposition to the entrenched currents in the country’s political sphere, will be a monumental task in which Pezeshkian, in loyalty to his voters, must demonstrate his courage and honesty. A Roman proverb says fortune always favors the brave. Courage, clarity, and honesty were Pezeshkian’s assets in competing with the tough circle of his rivals in the elections
However, virtue will fully manifest when loyalty to all that has been said becomes credible to the public. The golden time for President Pezeshkian is quickly passing by. Politics is not only about what is possible but also about will