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At Non-Aligned Helm, Iran Will Drive Its Own Agenda

Iran sees its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement as a three-year window of opportunity to pursue several goals through its signature blend of pragmatic and subversive foreign policies: defeat international sanctions, resolve the Syrian conflict to its advantage and win support for its nuclear agenda, writes Banafsheh Keynoush.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks during the 16th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran August 30, 2012. REUTERS/Amir Kholousi/ISNA (IRAN - Tags: POLITICS) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Last week, Iran hosted the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit. The movement’s rotational chairmanship passes on to Iran for three years and then to Iranian allies Venezuela and Bolivia. Iran will use NAM to pursue its signature combination of pragmatic and subversive policies in three main areas: to resolve the Syrian crisis, break the international sanctions against its oil industry, and assert its nuclear program. 

The NAM chairmanship could help thwart US efforts to deny Iran a friendly government in Damascus. As early as September 2010, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asserted that the United States was “up to some mischievous actions” in Syria and that Iran aimed to support its friends there. Through NAM, Iran will push for a collective regional solution to ensure its interests in Syria.

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