Iran’s need for change of guard in COP29

The global summit on climate change, starting in Baku on Monday, is an exceptional opportunity for Iran to play a role in the international arena and secure its national interests.

However, participation in COP 29 requires a clever approach that, besides taking into account Iran’s political considerations, could provide for the country's economic and environmental goals.

Iran’s representation by the Department of Environment has become a lightning rod for criticism by those who see a lack of discernment regarding the economic and political dimensions of the summit.

They say the UN climate conference has turned into an economic playground where world countries compete for a grandstand position on various issues, including trade.

There are already reports of a potential rift between a bloc of four large newly industrialized countries namely Brazil, South Africa, India and China and the EU over the Europeans’ carbon border policy.

The group known as BASIC countries has been a strong critic of the EU policy, which from 2026 will impose fees on imports of high-carbon goods, including steel and cement.

The draft agenda for this year's climate summit, published on Friday, includes a Chinese proposal for talks on carbon border taxes and other "restrictive trade measures" that Beijing says hurt developing countries.

But some diplomats said the European Union is likely to oppose the Chinese proposal, which Beijing submitted on behalf of the BASIC group.

All this shows a person or team with expertise and experience in international negotiations, economy and environment should represent the Islamic Republic in the summit in order to make the best of the situation.

In other words, the focus of COP29 on economic issues and trade requires that Iran attend it with a deep understanding of the country's economic challenges and opportunities and the complexities of international negotiations.

Iran’s representative should follow an assertive policy and be able to use the forum to highlight the West’s double standards and press for the removal of illegal and illegitimate sanctions on the country.  

By highlighting the role of sanctions in curbing its access to new technologies and investment in renewable energy, Iran should elucidate before the international community the negative impact of the sanctions on the goals of sustainable development and combating climate change.

Iran should clearly declare that it sees the West’s roadblocks on the development of new energies, especially nuclear energy, as a big hurdle to achieving the goals of sustainable development.

Iran should also emphasize that nuclear energy, as a clean and reliable source, plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change.

Hence, COP29 is an exceptional opportunity to ask the international community to recognize the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy for all countries.

For Iran, it is an occasion to declare its readiness to cooperate with other countries on development and transfer of technologies related to renewable and nuclear energy.

By presenting a comprehensive and transparent plan in the field of clean energy development, Iran can win the trust of the international community and project a positive image about its peaceful activities.

Hence, a changing of the guard in Iran’s representation seems inevitable, given the participation of many countries at the level of the ministers of energy or oil.

In sum, COP29 in Baku is a unique opportunity to safeguard national interests - an occasion which Iran should use to the best of its advantage.

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