The guest presented a speech entitled ,"Realities of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Foreign Policy.” Director Marcin Zaborowski introduced the Ambassador and moderated the meeting. In his opening remarks Mr. Zaborowski stressed the importance of Iran in the ,,Greater” Middle East, the issue of its nuclear programme, as well as this year’s 70th anniversary of the event of hosting by Iranians of over 120 thousand Polish refugees from the Soviet Union. Ambassador Mehmanparast in his speech stressed that there are many misunderstandings regarding the foreign policy of Iran and its internal situation. He elaborated on these, seeing them as the reasons of differences among Iran and Western countries. He mentioned differences in the understanding of such issues, as human rights, the shape of international law and institutional order, proliferation control and nuclear programmes, the sources of international extremism and terrorism, and the goals of all military interventions in the Middle East (including in Iraq and Afghanistan). During the Q&A session, Ambassador Mehmanparast further ellaborated on some of these issues.

By M. A. Piotrowski

Photos by Paulina Raduchowska