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IRAN IS ARMENIA'S VEILED BUT FAITHFUL ALLY
ArmInfo
David Stepanyan
2010-10-21 16:02:00
Interview with Sergey Shakaryants, expert at Political Research
Institute, Presidential Administration of Armenia
How would you comment on the statement by Iranian Defense Minister
Ahmed Vahidi that Iran supports Azerbaijan's territorial integrity?
Armenia constantly makes a boast of its peculiar relations with
the OSCE MG co- chair-countries, but neither Armenia nor Nagorny
Karabakh authorities has ever blamed the USA, France or Russia for
recognizing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in 1991. As
regards the statement, the Iranian DM did not specify what he meant
by his statement. To observe diplomatic ethics Vahidi just repeated
what all the foreign diplomats repeat when they visit Baku. Earlier
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani stated in Yerevan that he
is well aware of the situation around Karabakh and came out against
any participation in the resolution process by the actors outside the
region. He said that resumption of war is inadmissible and called on
everyone to reckon with the opinion of Artsakh's population
Do you think this may be part of the traditional oriental Iranian
diplomacy?
This diplomacy is many-sided and multi-layered. For instance, once
one of the Iranian regional ayatollahs called on Muslims for declaring
Jihad to everyone who claims Muslim lands. Afterwards, during a meeting
at the Iranian Embassy in Armenia I wondered if he was competent making
such statements despite the Armenian-Iranian friendly relations. I was
told that the Iranian party will take this into account. A few days
after another Iranian Ayatollah called for Jihad against Azerbaijan
for destruction of Shiite mosques in its territory.
Therefore, besides the statements by Mr. Vahidi or Ahmadinejad, we
should take into account that in the name of Iran we deal with one
of the first civilized states of the world", he said.
Shakaryants emphasized that Armenians, unfortunately, underestimate
Iran, the same is done by the western-Europeans and Americans, and in
a less degree by Russians. Moreover, the Chinese, which progressively
extend their cooperation with Iran in the fuel-energy, military
and international spheres, also underestimate this country. I think
Armenia has to stop viewing Iran from positions of the Soviet Union or
USA. Praise be to God that the Armenian authorities always emphasize
that they are grateful to Iran for its balanced policy in the region.
Moreover, just due to the efforts of Iran, Armenia succeeded to
avoid qualification of the Karabakh conflict by the Organization of
the Islamic Conference as inter-confessional that would entail very
undesired consequences.
We must perfectly understand that despite any change of power in Iran,
its estimation of the situation in the region actually does not change,
and it means that Iran is Armenia's veiled but faithful ally.
The Iranian DM and the Parliament Speaker have already visited Baku,
the FM and the President will go there shortly. Why such a high
attention to Azerbaijan?
All this means that Tehran notifies Baku that it is not going to let
Azerbaijan out of its control.
I just cannot think differently because Iranian diplomacy is active
in the Armenian and Georgian dimensions as well. All this means that
Iran's foreign policy has taken the Transcaucasian course. However
strange it is, this policy applies even the pro-American Georgia. The
visits by the Iranian top officials to Azerbaijan mean that Iran's
diplomacy is focusing on the Transcaucasus in general rather than
on Azerbaijan.
Top officials of Armenia have repeatedly visited Iran in 2010 and
had quite confidential negotiations there.
In addition, Azerbaijan is currently in the pre-election fever and
Iran cannot but protect the rights of the Farsi speaking population
of Azerbaijan
Every time Aliyev visits Nakhijevan he says that it belongs to
Azerbaijan. Are these statements meant for Armenia or does the Azeri
President feel some threat from Iran?
Although Ilham Aliev says that Nakhijevan belongs to Azerbaijan every
time he visits it, everyone in Azerbaijan and the clan of Aliyevs,
first of all, understands that "Saying 'halva-halva' won't make their
mouth sweet".
They are well aware that all the doubtful allegations they have been
repeating for years that the Armenian Nakhijevan is "the original land
of Azerbaijan" settles some narrow tasks related to propaganda. The
Iranian maps present Nakijevan as one of the seven pearls of Northern
Iran. And Azerbaijan will hardly ever manage to make Iran rewrite its
history and we will not manage to do that either. Another matter that
this region is closely connected to the Iranian and Armenian history.
Therefore, Shakaryants said, Armenians should consider Aliyev's
statements made from Nakhijevan as an extremely primitive PR
orientated at unaware western officials. As for Russians they can
easily remember from their archives who Nakhijevan belonged to after
the Russian-Persian war, specifically, it belonged to Nakhijevan
district of Erivan Governorate.
Therefore Azerbaijanis would be much clever if they behaved themselves
more modest especially with regard to Nakhijevan.
Despite its commitments, Russia has failed to supply Iran with S-300
air defense systems, why?
This issue was initially too politicized, and the backstage influence
of Israel and USA was also initially present in it. It is not for
nothing that Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi made a subtle
statement, alien to a militaryman, saying the agreement on supplies
of S-300 was signed even in 2005 when the issue of sanctions against
Iran was not particularly pointed. Who did hamper Russia to fulfill
it during 5 years without waiting for appearance of a force majeure,
which Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov currently refers to?
Nobody can dispute Russia's fault for refusal to supply the half-
paid product to Iran, and Moscow will not get away just with return
of the amount paid. Therefore, Moscow tries to put a brave face on
a sorry business.
Now Moscow tries to keep on playing big politics with the USA putting
on the line a more reliable and predictable partner in the name
of Iran. The point is not even S-300, since Iran, if desired, can
mention frightening facts about close and confidential cooperation
in the sphere of conventional arms with Russia till 2005.
From: A. Papazian
ArmInfo
David Stepanyan
2010-10-21 16:02:00
Interview with Sergey Shakaryants, expert at Political Research
Institute, Presidential Administration of Armenia
How would you comment on the statement by Iranian Defense Minister
Ahmed Vahidi that Iran supports Azerbaijan's territorial integrity?
Armenia constantly makes a boast of its peculiar relations with
the OSCE MG co- chair-countries, but neither Armenia nor Nagorny
Karabakh authorities has ever blamed the USA, France or Russia for
recognizing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in 1991. As
regards the statement, the Iranian DM did not specify what he meant
by his statement. To observe diplomatic ethics Vahidi just repeated
what all the foreign diplomats repeat when they visit Baku. Earlier
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani stated in Yerevan that he
is well aware of the situation around Karabakh and came out against
any participation in the resolution process by the actors outside the
region. He said that resumption of war is inadmissible and called on
everyone to reckon with the opinion of Artsakh's population
Do you think this may be part of the traditional oriental Iranian
diplomacy?
This diplomacy is many-sided and multi-layered. For instance, once
one of the Iranian regional ayatollahs called on Muslims for declaring
Jihad to everyone who claims Muslim lands. Afterwards, during a meeting
at the Iranian Embassy in Armenia I wondered if he was competent making
such statements despite the Armenian-Iranian friendly relations. I was
told that the Iranian party will take this into account. A few days
after another Iranian Ayatollah called for Jihad against Azerbaijan
for destruction of Shiite mosques in its territory.
Therefore, besides the statements by Mr. Vahidi or Ahmadinejad, we
should take into account that in the name of Iran we deal with one
of the first civilized states of the world", he said.
Shakaryants emphasized that Armenians, unfortunately, underestimate
Iran, the same is done by the western-Europeans and Americans, and in
a less degree by Russians. Moreover, the Chinese, which progressively
extend their cooperation with Iran in the fuel-energy, military
and international spheres, also underestimate this country. I think
Armenia has to stop viewing Iran from positions of the Soviet Union or
USA. Praise be to God that the Armenian authorities always emphasize
that they are grateful to Iran for its balanced policy in the region.
Moreover, just due to the efforts of Iran, Armenia succeeded to
avoid qualification of the Karabakh conflict by the Organization of
the Islamic Conference as inter-confessional that would entail very
undesired consequences.
We must perfectly understand that despite any change of power in Iran,
its estimation of the situation in the region actually does not change,
and it means that Iran is Armenia's veiled but faithful ally.
The Iranian DM and the Parliament Speaker have already visited Baku,
the FM and the President will go there shortly. Why such a high
attention to Azerbaijan?
All this means that Tehran notifies Baku that it is not going to let
Azerbaijan out of its control.
I just cannot think differently because Iranian diplomacy is active
in the Armenian and Georgian dimensions as well. All this means that
Iran's foreign policy has taken the Transcaucasian course. However
strange it is, this policy applies even the pro-American Georgia. The
visits by the Iranian top officials to Azerbaijan mean that Iran's
diplomacy is focusing on the Transcaucasus in general rather than
on Azerbaijan.
Top officials of Armenia have repeatedly visited Iran in 2010 and
had quite confidential negotiations there.
In addition, Azerbaijan is currently in the pre-election fever and
Iran cannot but protect the rights of the Farsi speaking population
of Azerbaijan
Every time Aliyev visits Nakhijevan he says that it belongs to
Azerbaijan. Are these statements meant for Armenia or does the Azeri
President feel some threat from Iran?
Although Ilham Aliev says that Nakhijevan belongs to Azerbaijan every
time he visits it, everyone in Azerbaijan and the clan of Aliyevs,
first of all, understands that "Saying 'halva-halva' won't make their
mouth sweet".
They are well aware that all the doubtful allegations they have been
repeating for years that the Armenian Nakhijevan is "the original land
of Azerbaijan" settles some narrow tasks related to propaganda. The
Iranian maps present Nakijevan as one of the seven pearls of Northern
Iran. And Azerbaijan will hardly ever manage to make Iran rewrite its
history and we will not manage to do that either. Another matter that
this region is closely connected to the Iranian and Armenian history.
Therefore, Shakaryants said, Armenians should consider Aliyev's
statements made from Nakhijevan as an extremely primitive PR
orientated at unaware western officials. As for Russians they can
easily remember from their archives who Nakhijevan belonged to after
the Russian-Persian war, specifically, it belonged to Nakhijevan
district of Erivan Governorate.
Therefore Azerbaijanis would be much clever if they behaved themselves
more modest especially with regard to Nakhijevan.
Despite its commitments, Russia has failed to supply Iran with S-300
air defense systems, why?
This issue was initially too politicized, and the backstage influence
of Israel and USA was also initially present in it. It is not for
nothing that Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi made a subtle
statement, alien to a militaryman, saying the agreement on supplies
of S-300 was signed even in 2005 when the issue of sanctions against
Iran was not particularly pointed. Who did hamper Russia to fulfill
it during 5 years without waiting for appearance of a force majeure,
which Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov currently refers to?
Nobody can dispute Russia's fault for refusal to supply the half-
paid product to Iran, and Moscow will not get away just with return
of the amount paid. Therefore, Moscow tries to put a brave face on
a sorry business.
Now Moscow tries to keep on playing big politics with the USA putting
on the line a more reliable and predictable partner in the name
of Iran. The point is not even S-300, since Iran, if desired, can
mention frightening facts about close and confidential cooperation
in the sphere of conventional arms with Russia till 2005.
From: A. Papazian