Political

In recent days, not only individuals, any religious figures, but also Iranian officials have started to deliver speeches threatening Azerbaijan. The issue does not only limited to the threat. Iran also continues its comprehensive helps to Armenia.

In fact, official Tehran’s clear or secretly defending Armenia, which occupied Muslim country Azerbaijani territories, has a history of 30 years. While Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and many Muslim countries refused to establish relations with Yerevan as it occupied Karabakh, Iran, which called itself the Islamic Republic, declared that it considered Armenia as a close state to itself many times. Mutual visits of officials of both countries, signed documents are indicators of the essence of the Tehran regime.

Armenian intellectual persons confess themselves that Armenia would not exist as a state in the 90s, during the newly independent period of Armenia without Iran. Over the recent 30 years, Iran has provided each kind of economic, military, and moral support to Armenia. Just Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement of “Iran plays a role of an air vent for Armenia” allows imagining the whole scene.

Receive of Armenian officials, as well as Pashinyan, whose hands had the blood of civilian Azerbaijanis, elder people, and children, in Tehran always at the highest level, issuing a statement of “Iran is interested in the development of its close relations, friendship with Armenia” are, in fact, indicators of Tehran’s attitude.

International relations of Armenia, which put to their knees as a result of the 44-day war, have also been damaged. The only country that takes Yerevan out of the crisis, is namely Iran again. In fact, Armenia should not be an important figure for Iran. Yerevan is not considered an attractive partner for Tehran on any platform. Armenia does not sell any lively important product to Iran and can not sell.

Neither religion, nor language, nor literature, nor historical relations connects Armenia and Iran. Iran just benefits from this Country in its steps against Azerbaijan. Iran's relations with almost all its Muslim neighbors are bad. Iran acts like an enemy with Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and other Arabic countries. Relations of Iran which called itself the Islamic Republic, are not normal with any of the Muslim countries. Iran considers that it will use Armenia as a vassal state in the South Caucasus and the Middle East.

It is interesting that no change has occurred in the doctrine of Iran against Azerbaijan with the election of Ibrahim Raisi as a president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as his successors, Raisi takes all steps disrupting relations with Azerbaijan. Iran disrupts the balance in the region by obviously supporting Armenia.

Since the beginning of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, the day that Karabakh has been occupied, Tehran has never given practical support to Azerbaijan. At best, it issued several statements. What is worthy of Iran, which is the Islamic Republic, was not issuing a statement regarding the occupation of lands of Azerbaijan which is Muslim, Shia. Iran has shown its essence by just watching the occupation of the Karabakh region, which is Azerbaijani territory, turning mosques into pig farms, and by supporting Armenia apparently and secretly.

In 1992, when the settlement of the Karabakh conflict was being discussed in Tehran, Shusha, the cradle of Azerbaijani culture, was occupied. Azerbaijan kept its patience for 30 years and turned a blind eye to Iran's role in the occupation of Shusha. It hoped that Iran would be loyal to Islamic solidarity in deeds. What did we witness instead? Armenians even destroyed the graves of Karabakh in destructed occupied territories and sold the gravestones to Iranian merchants. Is this Islamic solidarity? For 30 years, Iran has supported the enemy country by strengthening economic ties with Armenia, developing joint economic projects and organizing reciprocal visits. During the 44-day war, weapons, ammunition, fuel, and other military cargoes were transported from Iran to Armenia. After the war, fuel smuggling from Iran to Karabakh was continued in order to save Armenians who were in difficult situation, Azerbaijan’s concerns in this regard was ignored, Azerbaijanis were insulted by the language of a "cemetery mullah" like Amuli, Iranian media were publishing statements against Azerbaijan.

In the Muslim world, only Iran pursues such a strong pro-Armenian policy and proves it openly with its actions. After all of this, Iran demands Azerbaijan to turn blind eyes to all threats of Tehran regime. Iran's malicious policy against Azerbaijan also infuriates our 40 million compatriots living in this country. Fearing from public opinion, in order to insure itself, the Tehran regime allegedly claims that Azerbaijan has brought Israeli servicemen to the border with Iran. The official Baku has stated that Azerbaijan has never allowed third countries to use its territory against Iran. Despite Baku's insistent demands, Iran is unable to provide a single fact on the issue. Iran's recent military exercises on the border with Azerbaijan are not only a cheap show, but also an indication of the desolated condition of the Iranian army.

The reports in the world media that Iran accidentally shot down its equipment during the exercises and was obliged to suspend the exercises prove the state of Iran's military power, which threatens everyone. Tehran has responded the following questions “Why did not Iran hold exercises over the last 30 years? What is the purpose of those exercises? And whom against are those exercise?” Iranian media publishes untrue information about Azerbaijani-Turkish military exercises. In fact, Iran and also the whole world, knows that Turkish-Azerbaijani joint military exercises have been held regularly since 2000.

But why Iran starts to see it only now-After Azerbaijan liberated its lands from the occupation, and inflicted a bitter defeat to Armenia? Or does it share the pain and anxiety of its ally? Joint military exercises between Turkey and Azerbaijan are not the steps that tense situation in the region, everyone understands it, if Tehran understands it, it will be better for it.

Today, an issue that concerns Iran most is to reach agreement on opening transport and communication in the region. According to the agreement, Armenia may contact with Iran by means of Nakchivan. However, this process is possible with consent of Azerbaijan. Also note that after the Second Karabakh War, Zangazur is only communication mean between Armenia and Iran. After commissioning of Zangazur corridor, the western part of Azerbaijan will be able to connect with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic by land. On the other side, customs checkpoint will start to operate in Khudafarin. This will be favorable for export of products produced in those territories. Iran is losing control of the Gorus-Gafan road and cannot digest it.

After Gorus-Gafan highway is closed to Tehran, Iran may become completely dependent on Azerbaijan to enter the region. On the other side, Iran thinks that if Baku’s intention regarding “Zangazur corridor” is realized, Iran will lose incomes obtained from cargo and passenger transit among Nakchivan, as well as Turkey and Central Asia countires. Iranian media claims that "Zangazur Corridor Plan" insisted by Baku will be a blow to Iran’s exit plans to Black Sea and the West. Tehran thinks that all transit projects may depend on the will of Baku. Another factor that angers Iran is that our some regions liberated from the occupation border with Iran. Iran controlled drug trade by means of those territories. Iran regime has already lost this control. This means losing millions of dollars. There is another point to pay attention. Solution of Nagorno Karabakh problem, bright victory of Azerbaijan gives fighting spirit to our 30-40 million compatriots living all over Iran, including Tehran. The main factor is absolutely simple. Iran does not want to be neighbor with strong, independent Azerbaijan, which liberated its lands with military and political way only during 44 days. Tehran does not wish a strong Azerbaijan in its neighborhood. Iran also understands that there will be opportunity for Turkey to access to Cenral Asia, the Caspian Sea.

The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is radical; it does not accept any change and development in the region. This makes it an undesirable neighbor for the region. The Iranian political elite should think about the consequences of this.

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