Seyed Hossein Mousavian, the former Iranian Ambassador to Germany (1990-97) and the current Visiting Research Collaborator with the Programme on Science and Global Security at Princeton University, has penned an op-ed, calling on Germany to reach back to its best diplomatic traditions in order to play a constructive role in overcoming five decades of hostility between the US and Iran, and in promoting a more stable international order’. His article was originally published on October 29, 2026 in the Blog der Republik and then in EIR’s Neue Solidarität and in the Executive Intelligence Review (in English).

Ambassador Mousavian cites, as one example, then German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher’s outreach to then-President of Iran Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-97) “with the full support of Chancellor Helmut Kohl” for strategic talks. The objective at the time was to establish a system of “collective security and cooperation among the eight littoral states of the Persian Gulf”.

The Iranian ambassador states: “Today, the world needs a form of diplomacy based not on geopolitical confrontation, but on shared interests, collective security and economic co-operation. Given its diplomatic tradition, economic strength and special relationships with the US, Israel and numerous Middle Eastern countries, Germany is uniquely positioned to once again play an active and constructive role.”

He proposes four areas in which Germany could make “decisive contributions”: “First, promote the establishment of a comprehensive security and cooperation architecture in the Persian Gulf…, including a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (NWFZ) and a Zone Free of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDFZ). This should include reviving the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as a basis for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, ending the maritime confrontation, and negotiating a lasting security order for the Persian Gulf.”

“Second, support a comprehensive process of rapprochement between the US and Iran that could overcome nearly five decades of mutual hostility.” “Third, promote a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace based on relevant UN resolutions and a negotiated two-state solution.” “Fourth, foster new strategic energy partnerships linking the Persian Gulf, the Caucasus, Russia, and Europe to strengthen long-term energy security and economic interdependence.”

Although the policy of the current German Government, with its disregard for diplomacy, seems quite irreconcilable with Ambassador Mousavian’s proposal, his intervention in favour of a constructive role for Germany is most welcome and needed.

This article was first published in Executive Intelligence Review (EIR) Strategic Alert weekly newsletter (Volume 40, No. 45) on November 5, 2026.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das