Both Iran and Greece have rich historical and ancient antiquity. The history of Iran-Greece relations goes back to the late sixth century BC during the Achaemenid Empire. Iranians and Greeks own two of the world's oldest civilizations that have historically had important cultural and scientific interactions despite military confrontations. The two countries also have a rich history of political, economic and cultural relations from the Middle Ages to the present day. Another factor that distinguishes these two countries is the particular geopolitical importance that Greece has in the eastern Mediterranean and Iran in the Middle East.
A brief look at the history of Iran-Greece:
The Iranian nation has been associated with various nations throughout its ancient history. However, among these nations Greece has a different situation. As we know, relations between Iran and Greece were very strenuous during the Achaemenid period, the Ionian region of Asia Minor and northern Greece, which was named after the Greeks, was part of the Achaemenid Empire in the early Achaemenid period. "According to the Greek researcher Herodotus of Halicarnassus, the Ionian revolt led King Darius to punish the Greeks who had supported the rebels. In 492, General Mardonius conquered Macedonia, and in 490, Datis and Artaphernes added the islands in the Aegean Sea. At the end of the summer, they led a punitive action against Athens that ended in disaster at the Battle of Marathon" (Bakker).
Northeast of Athens is the place where Athenian soldiers defeated Iranian Christians 490 BC, home to the tomb of 192 heroes who died in battle. “In 480, the Persian king Xerxes (486-465) decided to avenge his father's defeat at the Marathon. With a huge army and a large navy, he invaded the Greek mainland, defeating his enemies at Thermopylae. Thessaly and Boeotia were added to the Persian possessions and Athens was captured. However, the Persian navy was badly damaged when it encountered the Greek navy in the Athenian harbor (naval battle of Salamis). Xerxes was forced to return. He left the war to General Mardonius, who sacked Athens but was defeated in the summer of 479 near Plataea” (Bakker). Accordingly, for almost half a century, the Persians were able to preserve their Asian possessions by preserving the Greek divide.
Cultural Relations between Iran and Greece:
The history of the cultural relationship between Iran and Greece is very rich and important. This great cultural commonality between the nations of Iran and Greece can be the cause of the ties between the two countries. According to Venetis (coordinator of the Middle East Research Project of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) and an expert in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies), “The enduring coexistence of the two cultures since antiquity has so far acted as a good platform for the relations between the two peoples. Both countries could act in this area in order to send the message of dialogue of civilizations in the framework of coexistence between their peoples”. Historians and scholars have written numerous articles and books on Iranian and Greek cultural influences. In most of these writings, despite the unfortunate history of war, conflict and devastation in the history of the two countries, both civilizations are well remembered. “The cultural relations between Greece and Iran consist of a variety of fields” (Venetis). Incidentally, in recent years we are witnessing a close cultural relationship between the two countries.
As Venetis states, various government agencies in Iran and Greece are active in cultural relations between the two countries.” Such bodies would include on the Greek side the Directorate of Cultural Affairs of the Greek Foreign Ministry, the Greek Embassy in Tehran, Ministry of Culture, the Foundation of the Hellenic Parliament, the European Cultural Centre of Delphi, local government, museums, universities and research centers, exhibition halls, etc.”(Venetis). There are also examples of cultural activities, including the relationship between Greek and Iranian universities, as Venetis points out: "Implementing a Memorandum of Understanding between Pantheon University and Shahid Beheshti University; Teaching Ancient and Modern Greek in Iranian". Thus, examining the role of the cultural relationship between the two countries, both past and present, is crucial.
Political relations between the two:
Iran and Greece have maintained their political and diplomatic bilateral relations over the past few decades. Studies show that Greece is one of the few Western countries to have a relatively friendly relationship with the Islamic regime ruling Iran. Particularly in the last thirty years, Greece's efforts to strengthen diplomatic relations with the Iranian regime have intensified. According to Venetis “The de facto dissolution of CENTO in 1979, gave the two sides the opportunity to further develop their bilateral relations, resulting to an increase of bilateral diplomatic action, especially after the Iran-Iraq war". Of course, the role of this active relationship can be beneficial to Iran on the international scene. As Venetis states, “Currently bilateral relations acquire a special dimension because of the Greek presidency of the European Union. The Greek EU presidency poses an opportunity for both sides to promote diplomacy especially in the context of the ongoing rapprochement between Iran and the West".
Iran and the European Union have limited political ties because of concerns by the European Union and the international community over Iran's nuclear enrichment program, but Greece remains a defender of the Iranian regime despite being a member of the European Union. Undoubtedly, having a mutual benefit can continue this friendly relationship. Diplomatic relations between the two countries are planned, as Venetis claims, “Greece should be involved and amplify the angles of the ongoing rapprochement between EU and Iran. It is important to continue high-ranking visits by senior Greek governmental officials. The visit of the Greek Foreign Minister should eventually be followed by that of the Prime Minister. Such visits will facilitate the rapprochement, both before and after the implementation of the Geneva Interim government”. Therefore, since Greece is an active member of the European Union, maintaining this relationship can be crucial for the Iranian regime.
In this regard, the website of the Republic of Greece writes in its latest report on its diplomatic political relations with the Iranian regime.” As a member of the EU, Greece actively supports community dialogue with Iran in the areas of human rights, the Middle East problem and terrorism. Greece is following developments concerning Iran’s nuclear programme. Greece accepts the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes alone, without compromising its long-established position in favour of the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the creation of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East” (Hellenic Republic). So we can see that Greece and Iran have good political relations with thousands of years of shared experience today."Greece welcomes the signing and implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program, considering it a significant positive development for the wider region"(Hellenic Republic).
The visit of the former Greek Prime Minister to Tehran strengthened the cooperation between the two countries. According to Hellenic Republic report, “During his visit, the following agreements were signed:
a) a Memorandum of Understanding on political consultations
b) an Agreement exempting diplomatic and service passports from visa requirement
c) a Road Map on reinforcing bilateral cooperation in the fields of commerce, services agriculture, energy, high technology, investment, culture etc...".
Prior to the Prime Minister’s visit, the following meetings had taken place in 2015 at the level of Foreign Ministers: Iranian Foreign Minister’s Mr. Zarif visit to Athens, Greek Foreign Minister’s Mr. N. Kotziasvisit to Tehran. During the visit to Tehran of Mr. G. Tsipras. Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on research and technology (Hellenic Republic). Therefore, you can see a deep political relation between the two countries that leads to economic relations.
A brief look at the economic relationship between Iran and Greece:
Iran has always attracted the attention of European and Western countries because of its huge oil wells and as one of the most important exporters of crude oil in the world. Greece has one of the most active economic links with the Iranian regime.” The Arrival of Greeks in Iran in 19th century. The establishment of an independent Greek kingdom in 1830 and the significant role of Qajar Iran in the Middle East, along with the gradual decline of the Ottoman Empire, resulted in the fragmentation of commercial activity in the eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Caucasus. These developments, combined with British-Russian economic rivalry in the Caucasus, favored economic and political collaboration between Persia and Greece” (Venetis).
As Venetis states, The trade cooperation between the two countries at that time was in the fields of silk, timber, tobacco, trading of merchandise and steam transport, etc. The Friendship, Trade and Navigation Treaty was the first economic treaty to be signed between the two countries, playing an important role in trade in the region, especially in the Caucasus trade route. History records show that the Greeks participated in agricultural and construction projects until World War II as part of Iran's modernization process. Other groups of Greek craftsmen and gemstones from Greece (Epirus, Western Macedonia, Yubia and Carpathos) also participated in the construction of the 1927 transboundary railway project. “In the 1960s and 1970s, the Greek population in Iran reached 3,000; many of the Greeks were engaged in the development projects in Iran” (Venetis). Interestingly, “Elli Antoniades, the only woman president of the Greek community of Tehran worked to eradicate illiteracy in Iran. Konstantinos Keletsekis was the leading Greek businessman in fisheries and construction. Greek development companies, such as Elliniki Techniki and Skapaneus, participated in construction projects in Tehran and Zāhedān” (Venetis).
The process of economic relations between the two countries continued until the anti-monarchy revolution in Iran in 1979. But under the rule of the Islamic Republic during and after the revolution due to the lack of internal security on the one hand and the two-year war between Iran and Iraq on the other hand forced the Greeks to leave Iran and lowering economic ties was widespread. Venetis writes that, “The economic crisis in Greece since 2009 stimulated some Greek entrepreneurs to engage in business with Iran in various fields, including telecommunications, shipping, commerce, and tourism”.
Today the economic relationship between the two countries has taken a new form and entered a new phase. Based on the latest Eurostat figures shared with Financial Tribune in 2018, trade between Iran and Greece exceeded €1.23 million during the 11 months to Nov. 30, registering a 92% hike compared with the similar period of last year.” Iran exported over €1.2 billion worth of commodities to Greece during the period, which shows a 96% upsurge year-on-year” (Iran-Greece). Previous Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was the first western leader to visit Iran after the lifting of international sanctions against Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program. Tsipras said in Tehran, February 2016, “Greece will become an energy, economic and trade bridge between Iran and the European Union” (Iran-Greece). The trip suggests that the economic benefits of Greece's relations with the Iranian regime are to a degree that it ignores international efforts to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring a nuclear bomb. In general, it is important to examine the economic relations of the two countries in the past and in the present.
Military cooperation between Iran and Greece:
There is not much information on military relations between Iran and Greece except for information published in 1999. In the news that was published under the title of “Greece Announces Pending Defense Pact with Iran and Armenia”, “Greece and Iran have announced that they intend to sign a tripartite military cooperation agreement, along with Armenia, as early as July 12” (Greece Announces). Addressing reporters in Tehran on June 28 that year, “Greek Defense Minister Apostolos-Athanasios Tsokhatzopoulos announced that Greece, Iran, and Armenia would soon sign a defense cooperation agreement, with the goal of creating peace and stability in the region” (Greece Announces). According to this news, “such an agreement would seriously undermine NATO unity and strategy in the Balkans and the Caucasus, exacerbate tensions between Greece and Turkey, isolate Azerbaijan and Georgia and, by extension, Central Asia, and provide Russia with a tremendous lever against NATO. As all involved intended, it is not something NATO can ignore”. It should be noted, however, that the Iranian regime has always needed international support to deal with its crises, and having military cooperation can be a strong need for Iran in its relationship with the West.
The latest agreement between the two countries:
The latest ties between the two countries have been in the area of economic and trade cooperation agreements. According to the head of the Iran-Greece Chamber of Commerce, Majid Movafeq Qadiri, “‘based on the MOU, Greece will become a hub for Iran transit and exports to the European Union thus playing a key role for increasing Iran-EU trade”( Dehqan). It should be noted that the Iranian and Greek authorities signed the 18-point agreement in Tehran, May 2018 to facilitate the transfer of goods between the two countries. Qadiri said: The agreement envisages a corridor, called the 'Persian Gulf-Black Sea', that would see Iranian goods being transited from the Persian Gulf to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bulgaria and then Greece and onward to Europe. According to Dehghan, “Iran's exports to Greece have witnessed a six-fold increase compared to what it was four years ago. Iran's oil exports to Greece reached almost $7 billion last year”. He also said about the two countries' non-oil trade, “Iran exported goods worth more than $35 million to Greece while its imports reached $21 million last year” (Dehqan). The close economic relationship between the two countries is thus remarkable.
Iran’s first Vice President Es’hagh Jahangiri on the expansion of cooperation between the two countries said, “Tehran welcomes the development of cooperation in all sectors with Athens. He underlined that Iran and Greece enjoy rich cultural and historical background, which is a strong foundation for the development of relations between the two countries”. On the other hand, the former Greek Prime Minister announced during a meeting “Greece as a member of European Union can play a key role to develop Tehran’s ties with the other members of EU during the post-sanctions era. Regarding bilateral cooperation, Tsipras underlined that Tehran and Athens, to best use available resources and opportunities, could hold a wide range of cooperation in the fields of energy, shipping, trade, tourism and new technologies”( Iran, Greece Sign). Furthermore, “Implementation of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has prepared ground for a much-anticipated economic boom and the expansion of cooperation between Iran and the world” (Iran, Greece Sign).
You may know that after tightening sanctions against Iran aimed at limiting its access to nuclear weapons, most European countries, and the West in general, have been cautious about the Iranian regime. However, it should be noted that, “Greece-Iran Chamber of Commerce Initiative is the only institution of its kind in the EU created during the sanctions era; the group focuses on developing bilateral economic relations between the two countries”(The Renewal). Mr. Patroklos Koudounis, an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in an interview on bilateral economic cooperation between Iran and Greece said: “The advantages of the Iranian market are plenty. With a population that exceeds 80 million people, Iran is in the geographical center of a world that pivots to the East. Hence, any local office can be used as the export base that would serve the needs of all neighboring countries, such as Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Oman, etc.”(The Renewal). He announced in another part of the interview,” We decided to create a representation office in Tehran, in order to be able to facilitate Iranian companies which are trying to enhance their exports in Europe” (The Renewal). Therefore, according to the latest news and interviews available, one can conclude friendly relations between Iran and Greece, especially in the economic field.
In conclusion, the relationship between the two countries, Iran and Greece, has a long history. Both countries are referred to as ancient countries with rich cultures. There are some cultural differences between them. Nevertheless, what matters is the political and economic ties between the two countries. Of course, the proximity of the economic relations between the two countries, based on common interests, has led to a relatively good political relation. Greece is a European supporter of the Islamic Republic of Iran, even after extensive sanctions by the West and international organizations.
Works Cited
Bakker Janine. “Persian Influence on Greek Culture.” Livius.org. Nov7, 2018.
“Hellenic Republic, Greece in Iran.” Greece in the World. Nov15, 2019.
Venetis Evangelos. “Relations of Iran with Greece and the EU.” Hellenic Foundation For
European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP). May 2014.
Venetis Evangelos. "Greeks in Modern Iran." Encyclopædia Iranica. April 13, 2018.
Polizoidou Maria. ”Greece and Iran: The Dark Side of the Relationship.” Gatestone Institute.
Dec 21, 2016.
"Iran-Greece Trade Up 92%." Financial Tribune Daily and Contributors. Jan 27, 2018.
"Greece Announces Pending Defense Pact with Iran and Armenia." Stratfor Enterprises. Jul 1,
1999.
Dehqan, Sadeq."Greece to become hub for Iran transit to Europe." Islamic Republic News
Agency. Dec12, 2018.
"Iran, Greece Sign Economic MoUs to Further Bilateral Ties." Institute of Energy of South East
Europe. 2012-2019.
“The Renewal of Greek-Iranian Economic Relations: Interview with Patroklos Koudounis.”
Balkanalysis. 2003-2016.
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