The European Union offered an olive branch to Iran's president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian amid warnings by Iranian opposition figures and dissidents against any "appeasement" with the Islamic Republic's new government.
Nabila Massrali, the spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, extended congratulations to Pezeshkian, saying the EU stands ready to engage with his administration.
"We are ready to engage with the new government in line with EU policy of critical engagement," Massrali tweeted on Saturday.
The comments came a few hours after Iran’s exiled prince warned Western powers against appeasing the Islamic Republic's new president, saying the Iranian people would view it as a betrayal of their struggle for freedom.
"The people of Iran will view any attempts to appease this new lackey (Masoud Pezeshkian) as a treacherous offense to their ongoing movement for liberation and a shameful abdication of moral leadership," Prince Reza Pahlavi said in a post on his X account.
The EU’s continued strategy of dialogue and economic interaction despite Iran's "hostage-taking" policy has been widely criticized for its leniency towards Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The EU's reluctance to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization has been a point of contention, particularly in light of the IRGC's involvement in supporting militant groups across the Middle East, including in Lebanon and Syria, and in sponsoring attacks throughout Europe.
Critics argue that by not taking a firmer stance, the EU is allowing the IRGC to operate with impunity, thereby undermining international efforts to secure peace and promote global security.
This policy, often described as appeasement, aims to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) and manage regional security threats through diplomacy rather than direct confrontation.
However, the approach has faced opposition from the United States and several EU member states, who see it as inadequate in addressing the threats posed by Iran's foreign and military policies.
Supporters within the EU maintain that open diplomatic channels are essential for future negotiations and potential conflict de-escalation, cautioning that more aggressive policies could lead to greater regional instability.
Iran’s former foreign minister Javad Zarif, the architect of the 2015 nuclear deal who has campaigned for president-elect Pezeshkian relentlessly in recent weeks, said on Saturday the world must “listen and engage" with the government of Pezeshkian "in mutual respect, equal footing, and recognition of Iran's role in the world."
In a post on his X account, Zarif said the Islamic Republic is prepared to tackle its challenges, strengthen its relationships with neighboring countries, and reassert its "role in the emerging global order."
The first round of Iran's snap presidential election saw a voter turnout of 39.92%, the lowest in the history of the Islamic Republic. In the runoff votes, the official figures show a 10-percent rise in the number of voters, but still over 50 percent of eligible voters boycotted the election.
Still, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei claimed victory on Saturday, saying that the nearly 50-percent voter turnout neutralized calls to boycott the elections.
The Iranian parliament (Majles), which must approve his cabinet appointments, went on a 10-day holiday for the Shiite mourning month of Muharram, which began on Saturday.
An Iranian parliamentarian said that after the ten days of mourning, the lawmakers will go on summer holiday and Pezeshkian's introduction to the Majles and his swearing-in ceremony will take place sometime in August. Before that, he needs to officially resign as a member of parliament.
This delay might not be entirely detrimental for Pezeshkian, who previously stated he has no plans or list of cabinet ministers. He now has over a month to formulate a plan and compile a list. So far, none of his campaign advisers, primarily from the centrist Executives of Construction Party and the Development and Moderation Party, seem to have provided him with any plan or list.
In the meantime, it is not clear yet, whether Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will endorse Pezeshkian's credentials before the mourning period which could well extend to two weeks, or he is going to do it regardless of religious rituals.
On the other hand, on his first day as President-Elect, a news conference with Iranian and foreign reporters planned for Saturday afternoon was cancelled. The news conference was first re-located from a conference center in northern Tehran to an auditorium in south Tehran without giving any reason to the reporters.
While the reporters were making their way from one venue to another, it was announced without giving a reason that the news conference was cancelled. It is not yet clear who arranged the news conference and who cancelled it as Pezeshkian has no staff and chief of staff yet. However, later during the day, pro-reform Emtedad News said that it was cancelled because Pezeshkian had to go to a meeting with Khamenei.
State television reporter Mohammad Hossein Ranjbaran was quoted by Iranian media as saying that during the meeting, Khamenei offered suggestions to the President-Elect. These suggestions may have included advice on addressing questions about foreign policy, including relations with the United States and Europe, and Iran's role in the Middle East.
Some Iranian reporters suspect that the cancellation of the news conference was an attempt to prevent surprises during the meeting with foreign reporters. They believe that those who hastily arranged the news conference intended to throw the inexperienced politician to the media wolves.
During the televised debates, Pezeshkian and other candidates evaded such questions when posed by their rivals. The TV presenters were aware that these topics were off-limits for the candidates, as only Khamenei has the final say in these matters.
Khamenei has assured foreign entities that the new president's tenure will not bring any changes in foreign policy or unexpected surprises for international players. He reiterated in his felicitation message on Saturday that Pezeshkian's mandate is "to continue President Raisi's path" with literally translates into taking no initiative of his own.
Even before the election, the US Department of State said that a change of presidents in Iran will not lead to a change in the country's foreign policy. The DOS reiterated after the elections that “We have no expectation these elections will lead to fundamental change in Iran’s direction or more respect for the human rights of its citizens. As the candidates themselves have said, Iranian policy is set by the Supreme Leader.”
During the weekend, the head of the caretaker government in Iran, Mohammad Mokhber who was visiting Kazakhstan, reassured Russian President Vladimir Putin that no change will occur in Iran's foreign policy as a new president takes office in Tehran.
With all those assurances, Khamenei is likely arranging a series of briefings and introductions for the newly elected president before he dives into the deep end of Iranian politics.
