Several notes and observations on Armenia-Iran relations.
During his visit to the region, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, held meetings in Yerevan as well. The statements issued by the Armenian and Iranian sides during this visit indicate that Armenia-Iran relations are mutually important and, at the same time, eliminate several illusions that people have developed over the years.
It is important to outline our ‘red lines’ and lead in accordance with those principles. It is also important to remember the principle of reciprocity and to lead with our national interests in mind. Therefore, the last thing we should do is get angry with Tehran for not ‘justifying’ our expectations that have been nurtured over the years with our ‘on-duty Iranian studies’ and that have nothing to do with reality. And so, here are several notes and observations.
- Armenia should intensively develop its economic ties with Iran insofar as it does not relate to the sanctions regime against Tehran while maintaining high-level political dialogue on issues of mutual interest;
- Iran is definitely not Armenia’s ally in terms of the protection of the people of Artsakh’s right to self-determination, and the addressee of our inquiries and demands regarding this matter is not Tehran, which is why Armenia has other allies;
- It is in Armenia’s best interest to regulate Iran’s relations with both the US and the EU (over nuclear programs and sanctions) and with its Arab neighbors. Also, Armenia has every opportunity to act as a platform for its neutral position at the right time with all international resolutions and efforts to regulate those relations. In addition, Iran’s territorial integrity is a ‘red line’ for Armenia, as well as the use of force in international relations (it is clear what catastrophic consequences this will have for Armenia and the region. At the same time, it is clear that Armenia cannot play a significant role in Iran in the foreseeable future);
- Aside from eliminating these illusions as part of our foreign relations with Iran, it is also necessary to eliminate confusing fears that developing relations with Iran will hurt our relations with the West, Israel, and the Arabian Persian Gulf states. Teanti-Iranian activities hran cannot and should not be viewed as a factor in restricting relations with Armenia. At the same time, it is necessary to develop stable certainty that it is impossible for any third-party to conduct on Armenian territory.
- Armenia-Iran relations also need to be free of any empty fears regarding ‘upsetting our Russian allies,’ and if it is necessary to be concerned, then the only concern should be to avoid repeating the anti-government policy that led to the reduction of the gas pipeline from Iran, ‘stealing’ the loans that were meant for building the North-South highway, and implementing a quota for business corruption, which brought Armenia-Iran economic relations to a minimum. Armenia-Iran relations only regard the two subjects at hand, and any third-party here is excessive.
- Iran’s radical approach to its neighbors is also in Armenia’s best interests. Therefore, being in harmony with our own interests is necessary in order to maintain mutual dialogue and avoid taking multifaceted steps if they are not absolutely necessary. An example of that is the Armenia-Iran route via Nakhichevan, and later, the issue of automobile transportation.
Ruben Mehrabyan
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“Aravot” daily
