“In case of pressure on Armenia, Iran will intervene”: opinion
Telephone call between Pashinyan and Raisi
“In case of pressure on Armenia, Iran will intervene, not excluding even military intervention,” Iranian expert Emma Begijanyan believes. In her opinion, this is exactly what the President of Iran was trying to say in a conversation with the Prime Minister of Armenia by telephone.
Recently, Armenian-Iranian relations have become more active. On August 11, information appeared that Tehran had appointed a consul general in the city of Kapan in the Syunik region of southern Armenia. On the same day the leaders of Armenia and Iran spoke by phone.
Referring to tension in the South Caucasus, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi once again stated: “Iran is attentive to the issue of its borders and will oppose any attempts to change them.” Armenian experts believe that these words were addressed to Turkey and Azerbaijan.
On July 19, Iran’s spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also discussed the issue in Tehran. During meetings with the presidents of Turkey and Russia, who arrived to discuss the Syrian crisis, he stressed that Iran will not tolerate policies and programs that could lead to blocking the border between Iran and Armenia.
- Peacekeepers or border guards? Russian checkpoints on the roads of Armenia
- Opinion: “Cooperation between Armenia and Iran in the military sphere is unlikely”
Telephone call between Pashinyan and Raisi
According to official information, the leaders of Armenia and Iran
- discussed the latest developments and issues related to regional security,
- touched upon bilateral relations, emphasizing the need for their rapprochement.
Nikol Pashinyan gave Ibrahim Raisi details of recent border incidents between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
It was in connection therewith that the President of Iran said that his country “will oppose any attempts to change its borders.”
Raisi described Armenian-Iranian relations as historical and deep, emphasizing the need to increase the level of stable economic cooperation.
According to the prime minister’s office, Nikol Pashinyan vowed that “Armenia is ready to increase the transit of goods between the two countries and develop cooperation in the field of infrastructure, including in transport, energy and other areas.”
Appointment of a consul in Kapan
It was revealsed yesterday that Abedin Varamin was appointed Consul General of Iran in the city of Kapan in the Syunik region of Armenia. The Iranian embassy in Armenia has given no further details.
Last year the Iranian Foreign Ministry made a proposal to open a consulate general in Kapan. The Armenian government approved this proposal at the end of December 2021.
The consulate has not yet officially opened, which is expected later this year.
Comment
According to Iran scholar Emma Begijanyan, President Raisi’s statement has to do with Iran’s refusal to brook a “corridor” encroaching on Iranian territory. She believes that the change of borders, the so-called “corridor”, is a red line for Iran.
“Iran will oppose this at any cost, not excluding even military intervention. The Lachin corridor in Nagorno-Karabakh is being replaced by another, which is of course undesirable for Iran, but it did not intervene. However, if there is pressure on Armenia, then Iran will intervene.”
Azerbaijan and Turkey continue to insist on a corridor with Nakhichevan through the territory of Armenia. According to the Armenian Prime Minister, Yerevan is ready to provide this today, but within the framework of the country’s legislation.
The Armenian authorities have repeatedly stated that “corridor logic” is unacceptable for Armenia in the process of unblocking regional transport routes. It has always been emphasized that in all three statements signed by the presidents of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan, a “corridor” through the territory of Armenia is not provided.
According to Emma Begijanyan, Iran has access to roads through Turkey and Azerbaijan, but does not consider them reliable. Therefore Armenia is an indispensable partner to the Islamic Republic. The expert believes that Yerevan and Tehran should cooperate closely in all key areas:
“Our interests, especially strategic and national security interests coincide. Whatever step Iran takes in the field of security is in our interests. We don’t have to pay attention to what others have to say.”
Telephone call between Pashinyan and Raisi
