Fence on the border with Iran

The Iranian army has begun large-scale military exercises in the immediate vicinity of the border with Azerbaijan. According to the Iranian ambassador to Baku, official Tehran has warned Baku about the start of the exercises. Iran does not hide the fact that these actions are connected with the long-term strategic goals of the country. Azerbaijan proposes building a concrete fence on the border with its southern neighbor.

• Critical two months in relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Analysis from Baku
• “There is no point combining the EU and CSTO missiond on the border of Armenia.” Opinion
• To America through Mexico – whither, how, and why Georgian citizens are leaving

What happened?

Immediately after the active hostilities on the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia on September 13-14, 2022, Iran issued a statement cautioning against border changes between neighboring countries. This statement was received ambiguously in Azerbaijan. The expert community asked one question: “Why did Iran not make such statements during the previous thirty years, when violation of the borders of Azerbaijan by Armenia was recognized by the entire international community?”

In September, Iranian news agencies were full of news that the Iranian army would soon hold large-scale military exercises on the border with Azerbaijan.

This began on October 16, and during these exercises the Iranian army is using pontoon bridges, simulating the passage of military equipment along the Araz River. It should be noted that most of the border between Iran and Azerbaijan passes through this river.

Tehran warns Baku

Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan Seyid Abbas Mousavi said in an interview with Azerbaijani journalists that Tehran had warned official Baku in advance about holding military exercises on the border of the two countries. “These exercises are peaceful in nature,” the ambassador said.

“This is not a question of Iranian support for any state, it is simply related to the long-term strategic interests of my country. We demonstrate our position within the framework of our interests,” he added.

South Caucasus in a geopolitical context of Russia: Analysis from Baku

Limited resources currently prevent Russia from playing a dominant role in the South Caucasus, according to a report by the South Caucasus think tank in Baku

The day before the start of the exercises, October 15, telephone conversations took place between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Iranian counterpart Huseyn Amir Abdullahian.

According to the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, issues of mutual interest were discussed during the conversation.

“Azerbaijan should build a fence on the border”

Azerbaijani political scientist Turan Rzayev proposes a concrete fence on the border with Iran:

“The Finnish Parliament approved the proposal to build a fence on the border with Russia. The construction of this structure will take about four years. Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that because of this, the country’s budget will be revised.

Closed borders: why Azerbaijani authorities refuse to reopen land communication?

Why Azerbaijan refuses to reopen its land borders? In recent days, the issue of closed land borders with neighboring countries has become even more acute in Azerbaijan, although they were closed back in April 2020

This is not accidental. Not so long ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country would be forced to give an adequate response to the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO. Apparently, in this way Helsinki is trying to protect itself from the Kremlin.”

According to Rzayev, Azerbaijan can also do this on the border with Iran, a concrete fence along the entire border between the two countries with a length of 765 kilometers.

“The fact is that Iran, conducting exercises called “Mighty Iran” along the Araz River, and imitating the passage of military equipment on a pontoon bridge across the river, showed its real attitude towards Azerbaijan.

Official Baku should give an adequate response to this following the example of Finland.

Such a move could prevent Iran’s threats about the use of military force in the event of a “border change”, as well as significantly reduce drug trafficking from this country.

This is not new in today’s world. For example, as part of the fight against drug cartels, the United States is building a concrete fence on the border with Mexico. Turkey did the same on the border with Syria,” Rzayev said.