During the four years period of Donald Trump in office, the United States’ relationship with the Iran and rest of the world changed profoundly. Public from Beijing to Berlin received the news of President Biden’s victory as an important milestone for the future. The effects of Joe Biden’s victory would be perhaps nowhere more than in Iran. Iranians consider Mr. Biden’s victory as an important step for a better future of Iran.
Importance of President Biden Victory for Americans
Biden’s victory in the 2020 Presidential election, as welcome as it is, means several remarkable things for the United States, Iran, and the rest of the world. For America, President Biden’s victory means to tackle three major initial emergencies: COVID relief, climate change, and structural racial discrimination. President Biden is ready to address plenty of other issues American society needs to resolve in the realm of infrastructure, education, public safety, public health, and more. For the United States, one of the primary tasks for him will be to heal the deep racial and social divide that has dismantled the nation and Biden understands this well. It was actually the first thing he mentioned in his victory speech.
President Biden Victory: Iranian Perspective
Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election could have deeper diplomatic, economic, and security results for Iran. During his election campaign, he repeatedly promised to re-examine and re-enter the Iran nuclear deal that was done by President Obama in 2015 and abandoned by President Trump in 2018, although he suggested it required to be modified and expanded. President Biden considers re-entering the deal as an initial point If Iran comes back to strict compliance with the agreement.
Biden announced that his administration would resume sanctions on high-level officials and state institutions of Iran for supporting terrorism, human rights abuses, and developing ballistic missiles. But he also planned to avoid undercutting Iran’s ability to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biden Victory for the Rest of the World: Restoration of “Soft Power” of America
For the rest of the world, Biden’s primary task will be to re-establish America’s standing on the international stage. And here, the most challenging task will be to restore America’s image as a leader in the fight against climate change. This is probably something the rest of the world expecting from Biden, with the exception of few autocrats like Duterte, Bolsonaro, Erdogan, Orban, and other populists.
America achieved the status of the world’s economic and military superpower through its “soft power” image. Trump changed American’s soft power image mainly because of his isolationism policies. President Biden is likely to direct American diplomacy to renew its historic relations not only with Western Europe, but also Australia, Japan, China, Mexico, New Zealand, and Canada.
Regaining America’s position in the United Nations, rejoining the World Health Organization, and helping the W.T.O (World Trade Organization) rather than paralyzing it as Trump has done are included in President Biden’s future plans. Most importantly, returning the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement is at the top on the President Biden’s agenda.
Future Perspectives of President Biden’s Victory
It is no doubt that President Biden’s victory is an indicator of a return to normal times and traditional relationships with old allies. However, rebuilding trust is possible only through the restoration of American “soft power”.
Important steps Biden should take include not only returning to the Paris Climate Agreement but also the Iran nuclear agreement (JCPOA), return to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and improve strategic relations with Cuba. Each one of these steps would indicate deep transformations in American policy in the Middle East, China, the Caribbean, Asia, and Russia. It’s too early to explain which future pathway the Biden will follow: More nationalism or more cooperation. However, Biden’s victory is a great step in the right direction. World politics is at a transformation stage. It is still difficult to guess whether it will move bi-polar (China vs. U.S.) or multipolar (China – Europe – U.S.)?