The U.S. president Barrack Obama is expected to name the Democrat senator as the next Secretary of State replacing Hillary Clinton. Although his first candidate for the post was Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations but her appointment has been seriously challenged by the Republicans.
Kerry is not regarded as a part of Obama's inner circle and unlike the incumbent U.S. president is so eager to boost the United States ties with Europe. Having a good command of the French language, he spent a considerable part of his life in European countries and outside the U.S.
Before joining the antiwar activists, Kerry served the U.S. Army in Vietnam. He is to resign from his current post as the chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee to win the votes of the Senate and take office as the new Secretary of State.
He reportedly played a central role in improving the already strained the U.S. relations with Pakistan which were in dispute over the unmanned American planes operation in Pakistan and it is expected that his appointment would crucially develop the U.S. foreign policy in the second term of Obama's presidency.
Following are excerpts from Mr. Iazadi’s interview with Khabar Online:
Although the appointment of John Kerry as the U.S. Secretary of State has not been confirmed due to the fact that the Senate must first vet him, otherwise the replacement would not take place. We should bear in mind that various elements are involved in the selection and introduction of persons to lead a ministry in the United States which are not dissimilar with our own system in Iran. As a matter of fact, the centers of power in any country try to make their own candidates appointed for the key positions.
However, one may say in general that in comparison with the other candidates for the post of Secretary of State, John Kerry is more moderate which can implicate that the government of Obama in the second term, would adopt a less aggressive approach toward the countries which are in conflict with the United States.
Mrs. Hillary Clinton was a purely political figure who lacked a considerable record in the realm of foreign policy and during the last years of her tenure tried to be in accord with powerful lobbies above them the Israeli lobby.
It is soon to judge what would be the impact of John Kerry’s possible appointment on the foreign policy of the United States, particularly because other players are also involved in the issue. But in general he is the man of negotiation who seems more independent than the other candidates and more ready to hear the important issues voiced by for example the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Furthermore, before the Syrian crisis Mr. Kerry had met the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and has a good knowledge on that country. But it doesn't necessarily mean that he would seek a compromise with the Syrian government.
Since he is concerned for Syria, he may follow a more forceful policy against the Syrian government and put it under pressure more than before. Therefore at the moment one cannot exactly predict what would be his foreign policy because other persons must be introduced for leading the American diplomacy by the policymakers of that country.
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