Historic agreement with Iran
On April 2, a historic agreement took place between Iran and the six world powers: the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China and Germany in Lausanne. The path of the settlement for one of the world’s most difficult problems was found. The few days lasting and intense negotiations resulted in achievement of an agreement on the key provisions of the settlement of Iranian nuclear-disputed issue. Followed by this agreement, the parties are intended to suspend the opportunity of creating a nuclear bomb in Iran, for which, the US, EU and the UN will gradually mitigate the economic sanctions defined against Iran. The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini noted that the uranium enrichment program will be substantially limited, and already enriched nuclear material will be removed from Iran. “The EU and the US will cease the application of only after the IAEA team through verified ways officially announces that Iran is implementing its assumed nuclear commitments.”
Thousands of Iranians have come out to the streets to celebrate the success of the negotiations. In the central streets of the Iranian capital, the drivers of the automobile column were giving signals to greet the signing of the turning Agreement, the final version of which will be ready by June 30. Residents of Teheran are posting photos and videos of Tehran’s streets on social networks, people have come out to the streets holding the pictures of the country’s President Rouhani. To the point, by the results of negotiations, Obama’s speech was broadcast live in Iran. The White House assured that the details of the agreement on cutting off Iran’s pathways to a nuclear weapon would be possibly agreed upon and the final agreement will be signed. And Barack Obama compared the deal with Iran with the agreement between the US and the USSR, “The United States, together with our allies and partners, has reached a historic understanding with Iran, which, if fully implemented, will prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The obtained political agreement will allow to develop a comprehensive agreement which will make our world safer.”
In Obama’s words, Iran will face strict limitations on its program, in fact, unprecedented scale of international inspections are expected to Iran. He warned that in the case of breaking the agreement by Iran, sanctions can be again imposed against it, “If we see something suspicious, we will inspect it.” Obama has also stressed that the sanctions defined by the US against Iran, which were caused by its support of terrorism and its human rights abuses will continue to be fully enforced. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, welcoming the agreement reached on Iran’s nuclear program, noted, “Ensuring Iran’s compliance with obligations is vital to international security.”
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President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, responded on this, “This landmark agreement is a major contribution to international security, increases mutual confidence and will bring relief to the economy of Iran, to the benefit of its people.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel, welcoming the agreements reached in the negotiations, has described them as a key step on the way to the final agreement. “We are more than ever close to the agreement, under which Iran will never have a nuclear armament.”
New situation in the region
Thus, the sanctions defined against Iran are announced cancelled. Isolated Iran enters a new phase from April 2, and not only Iran, but the whole region. This event outgrown from Ukrainian crisis in the background of Russia-West confrontation, undoubtedly, is a phase of new capabilities and new diplomatic efforts. As to how our regional countries will display themselves, the regional development opportunities as a result of solution of Iranian problems will depend on it. The reaction of Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan can be estimated pretty satisfactory. The agreement reached between Iran and the “six” world powers will have a positive impact on the overall situation of security in the Middle East, announced the Russian Foreign Ministry. “We view the decision reached also from the perspective of enhancement of legal system of the international relations, as a vivid proof of the fact that it is possible to solve difficult problems and crisis situations through political and diplomatic efforts. There is no doubt that the agreements on Iran’s nuclear program will have a positive impact on the overall security situation in the Middle East, including the fact that Tehran will be able to take a more active part in the resolution of a number of existing regional problems and conflicts.” Moscow acts in favor of immediate lifting of sanctions against Iran by the US and the EU, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov later. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu expressed hope that Tehran will keep moving forward to the signing of the final deal. “When we look at the positions (of the) P5+1 right now, Iran is still below the line we were able to bring in 2010, but we hope Iran will come to that line.”
Yesterday, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Tehran on an official visit. They were discussing bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues. Erdoğan’s visit was his first visit to Iran in his four years of tenure as a President of Turkey. Iran is interested in purchasing a stake in the “Trans-Anatolian» TANAP gas pipeline, recently announced SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev. In his words, SOCAR is ready to consider the offers for the sale of a part of its share in TANAP. “TANAP is so profitable that the other options for transferring the share can’t be a topic of discussion. Here one can talk only about its sale. If we get a good advantageous offer, we are ready to discuss this issue. There are already such proposals. After the decision to lift sanctions on Iran, TANAP’s relevance has grown even more. Iran will increase gas production, and, except for TANAP, there is no other alternative for bringing Iran’s gas to world markets.”
Iran a new imperative in Armenia’s foreign policy agenda
On the one hand, obviously, Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan are not so enthusiastic about the agreement reached between Iran and the West, on the other hand, everyone will have to reckon with Iran’s new status. Official Yerevan, at the level of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan, responded to the agreements on the Iranian problem. “Armenia welcomes the framework agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, reached as a result of long lasting constructive efforts by Iran and international mediators: Russia, the US, China, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the European Union, that gives an opportunity to reach а comprehensive settlement. This will contribute to strengthening of stability and cooperation in the region. This significant progress in the process of Iran’s nuclear issue resolution once again displays that it is possible to solve even the most complex issues through negotiations,” noted RA Foreign Affairs Minister in the released statement.
Our country should approach Iran’s new role in the regional processes with full responsibility, excluding the third countries’ attempts to intervene, which should not be excluded. Now, everyone, the “six” world powers, the Middle East players will try to advance their interests. Armenia will have the opportunity to cooperate with Iran, first of all, in the energy sector. After the lifting of sanctions, Iran, surely, will try drawing a road map, by which its energy resources will be exported to Europe. Armenia can play a major role in this process, especially, when Turkey seems to have expectations with regard to transit road for energy supplies from Tehran. The Iranian side always expresses readiness with regard to building the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, in the sense that if an appropriate diameter piping is created, there is no problem, as well as building of a railway and HPP.
Iranian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Mohammad Reisi, when addressing the subject of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline in summer, noted, “The Iran-Armenia gas pipeline has a smaller diameter that apparently makes it inefficient for transit purposes. Should you set up an appropriate diameter piping, there is no problem of transiting gas through Armenia.” The Ambassador added that 3-4 billion dollars of investment is required for the construction of one railroad. What is the obstacle – the lack of investment or the sufficient willingness of the two countries’ governments?, “Aravot” addressed this question to the Iranian Foreign Minister on 27 January, recalling the reasons for protraction of building the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, railway and the HPP.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in response to our question in Yerevan, stated, “There is a political will. Discussions are under way to find solutions. The Iranian side is the implementer of the HPP and has presented some technical parameters, and right after receiving the answers to them, there will be opportunities to progress. There were good tripartite discussions about the railway and a positive decision has been made. We hope that we would move forward quickly. In the rest of the spheres – energy, gas and electricity, effective negotiations are held in Iran, and agreements have been reached, which perhaps, will produce results,” he said.
Mohammad Javad Zarif also confessed that financial problems occurred for the implementation of the programs, the most part of which, however, in his words, have been resolved with the RA government’s role-playing, in the connection with which, he expressed his gratitude. “We hope that thanks to the political will, the rest of the problems will be resolved,” added Iran’s Foreign Minister.
Emma GABRIELYAN
