Iran and Armenia play an important role in each other’s lives – Samvel Shahbazyan 

Speaking with Alpha News, Samvel Shahbazyan, an expert in global international relations and orientalist, commented on the statement by the Iranian Consul General in Syunik that countries located thousands of kilometers from the region are trying to interfere in the processes of the South Caucasus and turn Armenia into an area of strategic confrontation.

According to the expert, Iran and Armenia play an important role in each other’s lives.

“Iran plays an important role in Armenia’s life, and Armenia plays an equally important role in Iran’s life. Of course, any changes and transformations in both the foreign and domestic policies of the countries can mutually affect their security and stability. At least, one should not forget that Iran and Armenia are developing close contractual relations and that Armenia depends on energy imports from Iran. In the context of the difficult geopolitical situation in the region, including strained relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan, Iran serves as an important military and political ally for Armenia, which is a key moment for the country’s security. But Armenia is also an important country for Iran, and losing it would be a serious blow for Tehran,” Shahbazyan said.

“It was not by chance that the Consul General of Iran in Syunik made a statement about the importance of the absence in Armenia of the forces of any countries located thousands of kilometers from the region, across entire oceans. We are well aware that the hint was made towards the United States. Iran has its own good reasons for making this statement. We know that the United States appears to be a political opponent of Iran, and it is absolutely unprofitable for Tehran to have American forces on the territory of border countries, especially considering that the American presence is already being observed in Turkey, which is a NATO member, Iraq, Kuwait, and other Middle Eastern countries that have both land and sea borders with Iran.

The unrest intensified after recent events in the South Caucasus, namely, after the strengthening of close cooperation between Iran’s northern neighbor, Azerbaijan, with Israel, Iran’s number two enemy, and the complete transfer of Nagorno-Karabakh under Baku’s control, which also borders Iran, and in which Israel plans to build its military bases for potential attacks on Iran—of course, not without the help of the United States. Thus, of all the countries that border Iran, Armenia remains the only friendly one. Losing Armenia will be a big blow for Iran. That is why there are these fears that Armenia is now in, I would even say, a marginalized state, when the country is slowly coming out of one pole and it could potentially be sheltered by another pole, which is not welcomed by Iran,” Shahbazyan concluded.