This year, the Valdai Discussion Club took part in the 2018 Doha Forum for the first time by holding a session titled “Russia’s evolving global role” on December 16 as part of the event’s business program. Director of PIR Center’s “Russia and nuclear non-proliferation” program Andrei Baklitsky was at the forum and shared his comments with valdaiclub.com on the speech by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, whom he views as one of the best diplomats in today’s world.
At first glance, the December 16 speech by Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif could hardly be regarded as anything exceptional. Despite all the attempts by the moderator to pin down the speaker, being one of the world’s best diplomats, Zarif answered the questions that suited him, and confidently evaded those that did not present Teheran in a favorable light. The planes shelling Yemen were not Iranian, but American; Iran operates in Syria at the request of its legitimate government; and Washington does not abide by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), while Iran continues to honor its commitments; and the US with its domestic challenges better refrain from lecturing Iran on human rights.