How Iran Uses Parliamentary Diplomacy Quietly
While Western attention is often focused on Iran’s nuclear negotiations, sanctions, and military maneuvers, Tehran is advancing on a less visible but increasingly relevant front: parliamentary diplomacy. Recent high-level meetings with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Moscow and with Ethiopia in Tehran reveal a carefully designed strategy aimed at diversifying alliances, reducing international isolation, and politically preparing for Western pressure.
The visit of an Iranian parliamentary delegation to Moscow to take part in the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly marks a significant step. Although Iran is not a member of the bloc composed of Russia and several Central Asian countries its presence as an invited participant signals a deliberate rapprochement with security structures outside the US- and NATO-dominated order. Through its parliament, Tehran seeks to legitimize its discourse on regional security and denounce Washington’s unilateral measures in forums where such messages find greater receptivity.
At the same time, Iran is strengthening its ties with Africa, particularly with Ethiopia, a key actor in the Horn of Africa. Meetings between the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and his Ethiopian counterpart, Tagese Chaffo, go well beyond protocol. Both countries emphasize their historical ties, their membership in the BRICS group, and their shared interest in translating political relations into concrete economic cooperation especially in trade, agriculture, maritime routes, and investment.
The focus on parliaments is no coincidence. Unlike traditional government to government agreements, parliamentary diplomacy allows Iran to build long term consensus, establish future legal frameworks, and prepare the ground for joint economic commissions without directly exposing itself to Western diplomatic pressure. These contacts create stable political networks that endure beyond changes in government and reinforce the strategic autonomy of the countries involved.
From a Western perspective, these moves may appear secondary. However, taken together, they show how Iran is operating “under the radar,” consolidating relations with non-Western powers and with countries of the Global South that seek to reduce their dependence on the United States and Europe. The coincidence of these initiatives with the expansion of the BRICS and the weakening of Western consensus in the international order is far from accidental.
Ultimately, Iran is using its parliament as a strategic tool to prepare for an increasingly polarized international environment. Without direct confrontation but through steady, incremental steps, Tehran is weaving a network of political, economic, and security alliances aimed at withstanding Western pressure and strengthening its position in a multipolar world. What happens in these parliamentary meetings may not make today’s headlines, but it could have a decisive impact on the geopolitical balance in the years to come.
