By Javad Heydarian
It is often argued that Iran’s ties with Eastern powers would make it almost impossible for the West to thwart Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
However, recent years have displayed a very different picture: many emerging powers are beginning to distance themselves from Iran, forcing Tehran to re-examine its nuclear calculus.Emerging powers are more explicitly prioritizing their ties with the West at the expense of Tehran.
In early 2000s, Iran-West relations faced a renewed period of crisis. Despite Iran’s constructive role in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks – from assisting anti-Taliban Western operations in 2001 to acquiescence in the run-up to the Iraq invasion in 2003 – the discovery of purportedly ‘clandestine’ enrichment facilities in Natanz and Arak baffled Western powers.
Read the full story at The Diplomat