“Armenia gains the possibility to split Turkey-Azerbaijan hostile blockade”
Interview with Vardan Voskanyan, head of the Department of Iranian studies, expert on Iranian issues.
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Armenia caused great enthusiasm among different socio-political circles. What will that visit give to Armenia, by which is it important to us?
Such high-level visit is of paramount importance in the context of bilateral relations. Moreover, as much important it is for Armenia, as important it is for Iran on account of recent regional developments and changes, where, in fact, the other two states besides Armenia—Azerbaijan and Turkey, capable to providing an exit to the north, have manifested themselves in anti-Iranian orbit.
In particular, visit of Israeli PM to Azerbaijan was recorded, during which anti-Iranian projects have been discussed, also different demonstrations have been launched against Iranian representatives in Turkey, linked to the activity in Aleppo. And in this context regional situation seems to create favorable conditions for Armenia-Iran relations.
If we observe whole process from the perspective of Armenia’s interests, obviously, Iranian president’s most important statement that Iran observes Armenia as a crucial way of connecting that country to Europe and the Black Sea regions, we receive the possibility to split Turkey-Azerbaijan hostile blockade within Persian Gulf and Black Sea corridor.
Moreover, it has the opportunity not only to neutralize all the implications of that blockade, but also turn Armenia into a crucial country in the region. A country, which not only may gain economic benefits by participating in such a project, but also obviously, it’ll assume quite a new role geopolitically. Here it’s very important that a regional power like Iran basically supports us, and this is conditioned by Armenia’s correct posture.
Throughout these years our country both during the hard days for Iran and after leaving sanctions, headed a rather stabile external political route in relations with Iran, firstly, by not participating in any anti-Iranian activities, and exerting serious efforts after leaving sanctions regarding raising our relations with Iran to a new level. Relations, which have political, economic and cultural components.
Iran’s president made a statement linked to Artsakh, in particular, stating that Armenia and Azerbaijan are friendly countries for Iran, and expressed hope that they’ll edify establishment of stabile peace in the region, which will be in favor of the whole region. He also stated, “Undoubtedly, this issue doesn’t have military solution.” By this statement doesn’t he put parity between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Karabakh issue?
Iran almost always had such a position on a diplomatic level, but there is a crucial circumstance: rhetoric of Iran’s diplomacy and its real affairs in many cases didn’t coincide. The agenda outlined in Armenia at the present moment is enough to understand the importance of this visit in the context of NK conflict settlement, as powerful Armenia means existence of another additional pro-Armenian precondition of this conflict. And Iran in all ways contributes to Armenia’s strengthening, which stems from interests of this country as well, on account of the Armenian bunch of issues in the context of Iran-Azerbaijan relations.
From this perspective, not accidentally, Azerbaijani propaganda throughout the day, got down to “discrediting” Iran, from senseless statements like: Iran saves a downing occupant, headings, content of which is approximately the same, that Iran and Azerbaijan are no more brothers, although those brotherly relations never existed. If Azerbaijanis can’t be considered Iran’s brothers, we’ll be glad to assume that role.
Should we edify worsening of Iran-Azerbaijan relations after this visit?
Basically, at the moment those relations returned to the situation, in which Rouhani’s authorities have been, i.e. illusion of this upward curve in relations of the two, has come to its former situation, actually with no result. Strict statements by the Iranian side, in particular, linked to Israeli PM’s visit and Azerbaijan’s anti-Iranian positions, seriously influence on these relations.
There is another important circumstance as well: if we observe the agenda of Azerbaijan-Israel relations, besides other anti-Iranian elements, in fact, it was supposed that in the field of security, under the veil of the so-called terror groups, inside Azerbaijan pressure will be exerted against Shiite believers or Shiite opposition, which naturally, can’t but seriously bother Iran with other anti-Iranian components.
This doesn’t mean that Iranians, figuratively said, will declare war to Azerbaijan tomorrow. There will be no such a statement, however, activities by long-term projects will lead to the point, that we’ll edify at least change of positions towards Azerbaijan.
Doesn’t Azerbaijan have anything to propose to Iran?
Azerbaijanis seem to make all possible proposals, however, considerable part of those proposals have been made, under the conditions of race with Armenia or contrary to Armenia, and their considerable part contains incomprehensible issues. In particular, it refers to Iran-Azerbaijan railway funding, which has been much touched upon, but on which currently Azerbaijan adopted evasive attitude, i.e. in many cases the Azerbaijani side, entering in lasting and senseless competition with Armenia, promised things, which it’s unable to implement and Iran perfectly realizes it.
By Razmik Martirosyan
