EKMANIAN: ARMENIA-IRAN RELATIONS IN LIGHT OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
By: Harout Ekmanian
Armenian Weekly
Wed, Nov 24 2010
Iran~Rs human rights issues, its greater involvement in the
Arab-Israeli conflict and in regional politics, and its controversial
nuclear program have put the country on the most debated list in
various foreign policy forums and media throughout the world.
Trade and economic sanctions have been applied to the Islamic Republic
for decades from western governments, particularly the United States
and the European Union. And negotiations to solve the Iranian nuclear
problem by peaceful means and to lift the sanctions have failed
several times.
A new round of negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group (the five
permanent members of UN Security Council and Germany) kicked off
in Istanbul this week, with Turkish mediation. The process didn~Rt
look promising from the outset, however. Prior to the negotiations,
a spokesperson of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed
that Iran~Rs nuclear program must be discussed separately from the
trilateral agreement signed last May~Wand not welcomed by the U.S. and
European Union~Won uranium exchange between Iran, Turkey, and Brazil.
Despite Iran~Rs challenges to the world~Rs leading political and
economic superpowers, its relations with Armenia appear to be very
close. Plans to boost cooperation are being discussed and bilateral
agreements have been signed between both sides during regular visits
by high-level government officials.
Successive Armenian governments have avoided any criticism of Tehran~Rs
nuclear ambitions, underscoring the Islamic Republic~Rs perceived
importance for the security and economic development of the landlocked
country. Unresolved bitter disputes with two other Muslim neighbors,
Azerbaijan and Turkey, have made Iran one of Armenia~Rs two transport
conduits to the outside world.
According to Civilitas Foundation analyst Tatul Hakobyan, Armenia-Iran
relations were very cordial during the last two decades. ~SIran has
been Armenia~Rs friend in its worst moments, and Armenia shouldn~Rt
forget that fact,~T said Hakobyan. ~SDuring the period from 1992-94,
the Islamic Republic was a window of hope connecting us with the
world.~T
Since its independence from the Soviet Union, Armenia has established
good relations with the United States, European Union, and other
Euro-Atlantic organizations, but hasn~Rt become a tool against
Iran. ~SI think that Tehran appreciates this fact,~T said Hakobyan.
During an official visit to Tehran in mid-September, Armenian Foreign
Minister Eduard Nalbandian said that Armenia is ~Sclosely monitoring~T
the situation and hopes for ~Sa mutually acceptable solution~T to
Iran~Rs nuclear program.
RFE/RL reported that Armenian President Serge Sarkisian, while visiting
Germany last June, publicly stated that the nuclear crisis will not
be resolved unless the West addresses ~SIran~Rs sense of being in
danger.~T He also held up Armenian-Iranian projects as a model for
regional cooperation.
According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, the scale of
that trade totaled $97.6 million and accounted for only 4.5 percent of
Armenia~Rs overall external exchange in the first half of this year.
This rate stands modestly in comparison with the volume of Armenia~Rs
trade with the United States, for example, which is slightly higher.
However, Tehran presented a draft Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to Yerevan
to enhance the two-way transactions in August 2009. In early 2010,
after the ninth meeting of the Armenian-Iranian Intergovernmental
Commission on Economic Cooperation, Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher
Mottaki said the FTA would allow both countries to boost their trade
to $500 million. In an interview with Panarmenian.net in September, he
said it ~Swould help to elevate our relations to an adequate level.~T
Prior to the visit of the Armenian minister of economy, Nerses
Yeritsyan, in September, and the visit of Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan in mid-October, Iranian newspapers claimed the FTA would be
signed during these visits; however, the Armenian side denied such
claims and the agreement has not yet been signed.
Armenia appears to be reluctant about finalizing the free trade deal
with Iran because Iran is not prepared to introduce zero customs
dues in trading with Armenia, according to a statement by an Armenian
government official to the Capital daily newspaper of Yerevan.
Iran is not a member of the World Trade Organization and protects its
market by applying extremely high import tariffs, in sharp contrast
to Armenia~Rs liberal trade regime~Wone of the reasons why Armenian
exports to Iran make up only a fraction of bilateral trade. Armenian
businessmen have long complained about that disparity, reports RFE/RL.
Nevertheless, during the Armenian foreign minister~Rs last visit
to Tehran, both sides discussed the implementation of agreements
previously signed in various sectors, including energy, electricity,
trade, and transportation, and the oil industry.
Several joint energy projects are being planned by both countries.
Most important is the 140km-long Iran-Armenia Gas Pipeline, which will
carry 2.3 billion cubic meters per year from Iran to Armenia once it
start to function in 2011. Other projects include the construction
of two hydro-electric plants on the Arax River, which marks the
Armenian-Iranian border, and of a third high-voltage transmission line
linking their power grids and dams; the improvement of infrastructure;
the development of railways; and the construction of an oil refinery.
According to Tatul Hakobyan, Armenia doesn~Rt have a huge dependence
on Iran. ~SThe reason is that Armenia is greatly dependant on
Russia, be it economically, politically, militarily, and most of all
psychologically,~T said Hakobyan. ~SBut as a neighboring country,
which is connected with Armenia by a gas pipeline, a few electricity
plants, and other energetic-communication projects, Iran is very
important for Armenia.~T
In a recent analysis, the director of the Norvanak Research Complex,
Gagik Haroutyunyan, said that Iran is seeking to counterbalance Russia
and Turkey in the South Caucasus to get its ~Sshare~T in the ongoing
political process. Evidence thereof is the visa-free travel agreement
with Georgia similar to that established with Azerbaijan earlier.
(Azerbaijan, however, hasn~Rt yet applied the agreement on its side.)
Iran has repeatedly expressed its readiness to act as a mediator
between Armenia and Azerbaijan in resolving the Karabagh conflict.
During an official visit to Baku last week, Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad stressed that his country is ready to support the peaceful
resolution of the Karabagh conflict. ~SWe are ready to make our
utmost contribution to a quick resolution of the Karabagh problem
by means of negotiations, on a just basis and within the framework
of international law,~T said Ahmadinejad in an interview to Lider
TV. ~SThe Nagorno-Karabagh conflict can be solved if the external
pressure on the South Caucasus region is stopped,~T he added.
According to the Regnum news agency, Ahmadinejad skirted Azerbaijani
journalists~R persistent questions about Iran~Rs close political and
economic ties with Christian Armenia and its compatibility with Muslim
solidarity championed by Tehran. ~SI~Rm not going to say what you
want to hear from me,~T the Russian news agency quoted him as saying.
Armenian officials have always praised Iran for its role in resolving
the Karabagh dispute, saying it has taken a ~Sbalanced~T stance. ~SIran
supports Azerbaijan in its statements regarding the Karabagh conflict,
but de facto it remains neutral, or pro-Armenian neutral, if it~Rs
right to put it like this,~T said Tatul Hakobyan, who is also the
author of Green and Black Artsakh Diary. ~SDuring the process of
finding a resolution for the Karabagh conflict, Iran~Rs views must be
considered too. But, while powerful mediators like Russia, the EU, and
the United States are involved in this process, it is unlikely they
would share the tempting cake of mediators with Iran. Nevertheless,
Iran~Rs positive neutrality regarding the Karabagh conflict is very
important,~T Hakobyan added.
Unlike its border with Turkey and Azerbaijan, Armenia~Rs short border
with Iran is open to traffic. The increasingly common sight of Iranian
tourists in Armenia reflects the growing relationship between the two
states. Data extrapolated from the National Statistical Service of
Armenia shows that only 29,600 Iranian tourists entered Armenia from
January to September 2008, while more than 44,000 entered during the
same period the following year. Recent statements from the tourism
department of the Ministry of Economy indicate that from January to
September of this year, 84,000 Iranian tourists chose Armenia for
their holidays~Wnearly double the number of the previous year.
Many Iranian citizens are also favoring Armenia to either establish
businesses or for study purposes. Some of them are establishing a
permanent residency in the country, buying property and settling their
business and family there. For many Iranians, Armenia offers a breath
of fresh air, away from the tight control of an ultra-conservative
regime.
Earlier this month, a group of Iranians residing in Armenia picketed
in front of their country~Rs embassy to condemn the possible execution
of an Iranian woman, Sakina Ashtiani, who is sentenced to death for
alleged adultery. A group of Armenian activists organized a protest
in front of the Iranian Embassy in Yerevan as well.
In late October, Tehran hosted the 17th festival of press and
information agencies. The Armenian delegation, represented by
reporters from the panarmenian.net agency and Azg newspaper,
was attacked by the Azeri delegation after showing a photograph of
Artsakh~Rs symbol in their pavilion. The Iranian organizers were not
sympathetic to the Armenian delegation, which in turn boycotted the
event and disseminated a condemning statement. However, virtually no
Armenia media outlet referred to the incident.
Two years ago, during the public outcry after the Iranian presidential
elections, Yerevan also witnessed minor protests and petitions by some
journalists and activists. However, Armenian officials preferred to
turn a blind eye in this and other such cases; government officials
have never released any comments regarding human rights issues in Iran.
According to Tatul Hakobyan, there are two reasons for the official
idle attitude. First, Armenia itself is not a great example in
democracy and human rights, thus it has no right to teach that to
others. Second, in Armenia, most people understand that with two
enemies on our borders~WAzerbaijan and Turkey~Wit~Rs not right to
risk relations with Iran.
With its strategic location in the Middle East and Central Eurasia,
and its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas, Iran holds an
important position in the world economy and in energy security. Iran
is a regional power of particular significance for Armenia, which
is battling for survival and development in one of the world~Rs most
difficult neighborhoods.
Note: The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Armenia was
contacted for questions and opinions on this report. As of publishing,
however, it had not responded.
From: A. Papazian