It is difficult to answer the question in the context you are asking. For this you have to be able to understand the Iranian mindset. Without knowing the Iranian mindset, you will not be able to understand the question you have asked much less the actions of Iran and its policies.
Iranians see themselves as a "independent (and even the only) civilization force". Based on this, Iranians go on and interpret themselves as an ever enduring "reality" of the world. Part of this mindset comes from the long history and culture of Iran and a kind of oral history ingrained in every Iranian as well as a strong presence of mythologies which create a supernatural narrative of Iranian-ness (for example the myths of Arash, Kaveh and Rostam which for most Iranians are actually real legends and not myths).
In this context, Iran does not, can not and will not choose its relations based on the need for a "protector" foreign nation, benefiting Iran and Iranians. Rather Iranians see themselves as benefiting the world by merely gracing the world with their eminent presence through the reality of their civilization force. It might look a bit arrogant, but Iranians are actually quite humble and hospitable people.
So when Iranians hear such kind of a question even when it is innocently asked since this is how the world actually works, they get offended. Since such a question cuts deep into what Iran actually means to Iranians. It cuts into the roots of Iranian beliefs about themselves and their country and their idea of nationhood. Iranians see themselves as an independent historical player on world stage and an indispensable determinant of world history whether in past, present or in future. Even indirectly doubting these ideas (even in a good sense), makes Iranians fume with anger.
In this context, Iranians see other nations, states, people and countries as outsiders who are transient in nature. The only two fundemental realities Iranians know of in the world are Iran and Turan. Iran is the country of Iranians and the Turan are all those who are outside it whether when they are competing with Iran or living in peace with Iran. And Iranians even do not consider the Turanians as completely independent from Iran. They believe the Turanians are actually "traitor Iranians", having originated from Iran and later on leaving Iran. In this mindset, the world is fundamentally an Iranian entity, that is the world was made by Iran itself. And this brings an inevitable implication from the point of view of an Iranian. The implication that the world owes Iran and not other way around. I guess this mindset also comes from the historical fact that Iran was an empire that was managing a good chunk of the world.
Also please note that Iranians subconsciously differentiate between concepts of people, state, nation, culture, country and religion. People being the collection of individuals categorized in different ways, state being a historically transient administrative organization, nation being an enduring reality on its own having roots in Iranian mythology (not through an independence date from a colonial power or a United Nation membership or civil war outcome etc etc), culture having been invented by Iranians and country having been fought for and created in Iranian mythology by Iranians heroes who refused to bow down to world's injustices, and religion being a vehicle of deliverance in supernatural terms but of limited value in the world.
So asking whether Iran will choose, India or China or Russia or Europe or America becomes basically an act of "reducing" Iran to "yet another state" which is "just like any other". It might seem a bit arrogant, but in Iranian culture, this is highly offensive.
PS. I hope this explains it for you. Because the question you asked actually means something else to an Iranian than what it means to you. And this why you might see some Iranian eyes rolling when you ask such kind of questions. Since it does not make sense from an Iranian perspective.
I appreciate your post however you have gone into another sphere from what I was asking. Your talking about what it means to be Iranian. Trust me all nations indulge themselves in mixture of history and fact. All nations talk of their greatness. All nations talk of having history going back thousand of years. We all should have pride.
There is nothing wrong with this. From where I come in Pakistan just 20 miles away is site that had great civilization
2,000 years ago. Just 200 miles away in Harappa we have a site with civilization
5,000 years old. About 400 miles south west of me is Mehr Garh which goes back
7,000 years ago and just 30 miles away is site that boasts human culture from
500,000 yes half a million years ago. I would not be lying if I said Pakistan is land which was
cradle of civilization. Along with Mesoptamia, China, Indus Valley ( yes that is in Pakistan ) are the birthplace of
"civilization" itself.
As I say to many European's when you guy's were trying to figure out how to cover your posterior we were laying the foundation of civilization itself. So, yes we can all spin fabric to
wrap ourselves in to feel the glow of greatness.
Mehrgarh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harappa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sirkap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Soanian - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I also want to clarify this myth peddled by our huge neighbour on the east, India. A country that has more starving people than any othe place on earth, a country with the largest filthiest shanty towns in the world, a country that until recently was known as the land where more people slept like
dogs on the streets then in houses. In fact it is more starving than even
Africa. In fact Hollywood even makes a movies on this subject.
City of Joy (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Slumdog Millionaire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Indian poverty levels higher than Pakistan's, says UN report - Telegraph
More of world's poor live in India than in all sub-Saharan Africa, says study | World news | The Guardian
* This is riposte to those Indian's who have been posting cheap comments.
There is this myth spread by our neighboir that Pakistan sells itself out.
Never. Pakistan has never sold itself out. Pakistan like any other country (
@The Last of us repeats this all the time ) actively pursues it's
self interest. Every country is
prisoner of it's own unique circumstances. It is like a ledger account. You have your
pros and
cons.
We don't have oil like Iran or Saudia has. How
potent is oil? Well those camel drivers across the Persian Gulf have most of the world
dancing at their finger tips. You saw the long ques of Western leaders tripping over each other to pay condolances after the death of the Saudi royal. That shows what oil can do. Iran has plenty of oil and gas that you can
float on.
India has so many people that if all Indian's pissed into the ocean at the same time the level of the worlds oceans would
rise. That body count on that
mass scale gives certain gravitas. Huge numbers can have aggregate punch.
Pakistan has neither India's huge numbers nor oil or for that matter any naturel resource. I was looking at Pak electricty production. Beside hydropower we have to rely on imported gas or oil to power the generators. You know how expensive that is? India has plenty of coal to power it's generators. We don't. That is why we are desperate for the gas pipeline.
Anyway Pakistan has charted a very difficult journey in balancing itself in a world dominated by USA. Although nature did not bestow us any favours but we played our hand and managed to get aid from USA and at the same time built nuclear weapons. That was
not easy. Go ask
Saddam. Go ask
yourself. We pulled it off though. Now American's can go to hell.
Think about this. We are a a country with
no resources but right under the
noses of the American's milked the bastards and at the same time made the bomb. Not a easy task. Of course did we have to compromise?
Yes, we did but all the while we secretly kept working on our goal. So please nobody tell us what self interest is or that we sell ourselves. We
do what we
have to
do with the
cards that were dealt to us.
Now we are focussing on China because we know our days of
milching America are over. Even now though while we tilt over to China we are
squeezing them for everything. You already know they complain about us. NATO was in Afghanistan. We supported Taliban for our own reasons whilst milching Americans at the same time. In my eyes even
Machavelli would have had a
smile on his face.
As regards China/India after my last post I did some reading on the subject. I am actually shocked at what I read in particular the facts. These Indian's have habit have
bragging from the rooftops. I have been reading so much bragging about Iran/India by the Indians I actually thought it was a
phenomnen. After I looked at thew facts I was
bent over
laughing. The sober truth is Iran/India relationship is the
steam of the
piss on cold day.
Here are the facts. Iran imported
5% from India, from China
21%, Turkey 21%. India at 5% is not even worth squat. As regards exports China was
35% and India
19% and even this is oil. So guy's notwithstanding the Ganga dwellers jumping up and down China is by far the largest trading partner already. So what was all this drama the Indian's make?
Nothing. China is already ahead big talk asides.
Of course trade is not the only aspect. Sometimes strategic relations can be more important. However I am 100% sure Iran would never allow the use of its land by India against Pakistan. So no worries there. I am seriously, surprised about the minor Indian profile on the Iranian trading flows. Here is the diagrams. I strongly suggest the Pakistani members to look at the much
vaunted Indian hand in Iran. Even Turkey is far ahead of India and you know how Turks/Iranian get on.
OEC: Iran (IRN) Profile of Exports, Imports and Trade Partners
Have a look at the bar graph for imports. China, Turkey, South Korea and Germany have it carved. End of sanctions is bad, bad, bad news for India, If under sanction regime this is how the bar looks after the sanctions end those countries like Germany, France, Japan, South Koree are going to be winners because US restraint has held them back.
And whilse some
talk the Chinese do the
walk.
China And Iran Weigh $1 Billion Deal To Swap Chengdu J-10 Fighter Jets For Major Oil Field
