With the election commission in Iran announcing the victory of Ibrahim Raisi in the presidential elections, many inside and outside the country are questioning his government's approach to its foreign policies, especially since he is a conservative and close to the Revolutionary Guards.

Observers in particular raise questions about the foreign policy orientations during the era of a major government, especially with regard to the Iranian nuclear file and Iran's influence in the Arab region, starting with Syria, Yemen, Iraq and even Palestine.

Three pillars

Raisi’s detailed foreign policy plans are divided into 3 main areas, according to his election campaign website: security from the principle of authority, peace from the principle of strength, and negotiation and diplomacy from the principle of pride and benefit, which are the three pillars of his foreign policies.

The former commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Kanaani Moghaddam, believes that with regard to foreign policy, there is a road map determined by the Supreme Leader that will be implemented by my chief and “includes two axes, the first is to strengthen the resistance and develop relations with neighbors and Islamic and Arab countries, and the second is to confront Zionism and arrogance and confront their actions sabotage against the Islamic Republic.

In his interview with Al Jazeera Net, Kanaani Moghadam added that on the issue of the nuclear agreement and negotiations, Raisi will try to obtain more concessions and lift sanctions, while at the same time calling for the withdrawal of the United States from Iraq, Afghanistan and the Gulf.

nuclear file

The nuclear file and the negotiations related to it are one of the important files that the Iranian interior and abroad are awaiting how the Raisi government will deal with it.

Raisi had previously stated during his debates with presidential candidates that the nuclear agreement must be adhered to as a contract of nine items approved by the Supreme Leader, and as a commitment that governments must do.

Raisi said at the time that the current government cannot abide by the nuclear agreement, whose implementation requires a strong government, and the external will is an extension of the internal will.

Political analyst Dr. Shuaib Bahman points out that what has been reported so far from Raisi and those close to him is that they are not ready to withdraw from the nuclear issue and will abide by it.

But - and talking to Bahman - in order for the American and European sides to lift the sanctions, the new Iranian government will follow more serious policies in order to be in line with Iran's goals of lifting sanctions completely.

He also expected Raisi's government to fully implement the House of Representatives Strategic Action Plan (reducing and eliminating Iran's commitments on the nuclear issue), which Rouhani has not implemented so far.

Ibrahim Raisi had previously called for adherence to the nuclear agreement (Al-Jazeera)

Relations with Arab countries

Raisi wrote in his website that close cooperation and exchange of benefits with all neighbors and laying the foundation for this in order to preserve achievements and deepen regional peace and stability, are among the first priorities of his foreign policy towards Arab countries and neighboring countries.

The president-elect believes that "the regime's foreign policy is to interact with all countries, especially the neighbors, and we will interact with those who do not intend to be enemies, in a friendly, dignified and reliable manner," he said in May while registering the presidential elections.

Bahman pointed out that the overall policies of the Islamic Republic are clear internally and externally, and we will not notice a special change in them, and what we will see is more solidarity and a desire to implement these macro policies, which we have witnessed division in the current government's approach towards them during the past eight years.

Bahman added in his interview with Al Jazeera Net, that Iran's relations with Arab countries and neighboring countries such as Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Palestine will, of course, increase because it is recognized as the resistance front in Iran's foreign policy, and it will have a special priority for Raisi's government.

The new government will also work to strengthen economic relations with Arab countries, especially neighboring countries.