Alwaght- Addressing the Conference on Regional Developments and the Iranian Foreign Policy, Dr. Sadollah Zarei, an Iranian senior international affairs expert, brought in spotlight the “people-based security theory” as a favorable Iranian foreign policy pattern both in West Asia region and around the world.
Opening his address with definition of the people-based security, Dr. Zarei said this is a type of security that is provided by people themselves for their own country. Actually, the theory takes as its base a belief that people have the capacity to provide a sustainable and comprehensive security. This theory dares to come against other security theories that see no role for people in security provision.
The Iranian political expert added that the people-based security has five features: first feature is its being comprehensive because of comprehensive presence of people. He argued that because people make up the different spectrums of the society and have different specialties, any security that is set up by a popular presence is necessarily all-encompassing.
The second feature of this theory is its indissolubility. The talk is actually about a security that covers the whole parts of the society and is not restricted to limited parts. For example, the security should not be limited to a single part of the government like what Iran witnessed before the Islamic Revolution of 1979 during the Shah's rule. The second feature insists that security in a country should not just focus on securing interests of some specific racial or ethnic groups in the society. A good example is the American society in which white people enjoy better security conditions than the blacks do. But we also can investigate the people-based security in Lebanon. Hezbollah, a key actor in the political scene, has provided a kind of security that covers Lebanon with all of its segments. It both countered aggressions of the Israeli regime and in the recent years to a large extent repelled and even eradicated terrorism in Lebanon.
The third feature of the people-based security is its being intrinsic. Actually, it is not a borrowed security with its branch in one country and its root in another country. The security provided at home without any dependence makes the country resistant to different threats and problems.
The fourth feature of this security is having the justice as its central idea. The people-based security theory develops a security structure that has justice as its backbone.
And the final feature is protection of the human dignity. In other words, this theory builds itself on a respect to the character of the human in the society. This, in turn, can pave the way for development of people and unlocking their potentials. This by no means limits itself to specific geographical borders and can cover a vast region. Best example is the convergence and cooperation between different parts of the Axis of Resistance across the whole West Asian region.
Dr. Zarei maintained that the people-based security does not rely on weapons and hard power nor does it come from military power. It derives from a culture that sees itself responsible for security provision both at home and abroad.
He said that this idea can also be adopted on the foreign policy. He talked about a “people-based foreign policy”, adding that this issue becomes clear to us when we know that we have three types of foreign policies:
First type is based on political interactions between the governments through official embassies and other representation offices. This is a conventional inter-government foreign policy.
The second type has to do with ideas for political change and having connections with only some parts of the society. This connection breaks the diplomatic codes and conventions and majorly aims at overthrowing a government and replacing it with another one.
The third type respects the diplomatic borders while establishing a positive and constructive connection with people in a foreign society. Best example is Iran’s IRGC that beside providing the security at home helps to security provision in countries like Iraq and Lebanon. This connection happens with official demands from the governments and the people of these two countries. The outcome of this cooperation is establishment of such groups as Public Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq that now backs the army in its anti-terror battle.
Dr. Zarei noted that pursuing this form of security draws sensitivity of some regional governments that do not value their nations, adding that these governments launch media propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran as a key supporter and developer of this theory. He pointed to the efficiency of such a theory, referring to Iraq as an example. This Iranian policy enabled Iraq to mobilize popular forces and face such terrorist groups as ISIS. Dr. Zarei insisted that this Iranian arrangement comes at the behest of the Iraqi government and people.
Reacting to the theories that suggest West Asia is now a weakened region, the Iranian political expert maintained that this type of view on the region is a kind of visual distraction. He argued that before the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the West— and particularly the US— had domination over the region but now we witness rise of governments and people that in association with each other end big wars in a short time. Best examples are the Iraqi achievements against the terrorists and Israeli defeats by Lebanon's Hezbollah and Palestine's Hamas. Dr. Zarei continued that a region that can repel big US, Britain, and even NATO aggression is by no means a scorched earth.
Dr. Zarei rejected the argument that rise of Iran in terms of power and technology is a source of tensions and destabilization in the region, saying that Tehran boosts its capabilities in the face of the enemies. He asserted if Iran fails to strive after being powerful, the enemies will push it back.
The political expert said that the Islamic Republic bases its foreign policy on the existing realities. He argued that it was impossible for Iran to form a joint security mechanism with Turkey and Saudi Arabia while Ankara intervenes in Iraq and Riyadh launches aggression against Yemen.
Dr. Zarei in his final words supported the current course of the Iranian foreign policy, adding that casting any doubts over this Iran's pathway is a service to anti-Iranian sides and a move against national interests. He maintained that the people-based security theory is not meant to create conflicts for national security. He warned that the Western colonialism is still active and its aggressive and occupying policies have not stopped yet. The Iranian expert closed his speech by pointing to the recommendation of the founder and late leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Khomeini as well as the current leader Ayatollah Khamenei who emphasized that the nations must themselves provide their own security.
