The interests of Iran’s leadership are linked to the construction of diversified communication routes in the north of the country. This is what Russia-based Armenian analyst, Iranologist Karine Gevorgyan said during a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am.
Gevorgyan clarified that Iran has an exit to the Indian Ocean and an opportunity to use the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal, but these are rather risky roads, and consequently, continental communication through Turkey, Georgia, Armenia’s territory, Russia and Azerbaijan is very important for Iran and is one of the components of Iranian projects.
“Tehran is acting rather consistently, and the establishment of communication through the north-south road only via Azerbaijan is not favorable for Iran since, in this case, Baku will have a leverage for exerting pressure. So, Iran won’t renounce diversification and the aspiration to achieve operation of several routes to Russia through Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea,” Gevorgyan emphasized.
The analyst attached importance to the interconnectedness of the Iranian and Indian leaderships and activity in foreign policy, reminding that on Dec. 6 Putin will leave for New Delhi where he will hold serious talks and discuss all the paths for communication as well since India is also interested in this.
She stated that, against this backdrop, the Presidents of Iran and Azerbaijan met on the sidelines of the Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Ashgabat. “The meeting came after the tension that was created on the border and in the countries’ relations in October-November. This may attest to the Azerbaijani leadership’s precautious drift to Iran,” Gevorgyan concluded.
The North-South corridor passes through the territory of Armenia, stretching from the south to the north, and moves towards the Georgian ports in the Black Sea and then to Russia, CIS countries and the European Union.