Ariel Cohen: During the visit of John Bolton, the United States may  exert pressure on Armenia to limit Yerevan`s relations with Tehran

ArmInfo. In light of the changes in the US policy towards Iran, pressure on the Armenian leadership during the visit of the adviser to the US President John Bolton to  Armenia is indeed quite possible. Dr. Ariel Cohen, a leading expert  of the Atlantic Council (USA), expressed ArmInfo's similar opinion.

Presidential adviser on national security John Bolton has been on a  foreign tour of Russia, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan since October  20. Until recently, the US administration did not particularly hinder  the rather developed relations, which are still in the half-blockade  of Armenia, with Iran. However, in view of the upcoming tightening of  the sanctions regime against Iran, this line may be subject to  revision.

"Such pressure will be exerted to limit Yerevan's ties with Tehran.  More specifically, for example, to limit technology smuggling. If I  remember correctly, there were Armenian companies that were found to  violate the sanctions regime against Iran both in financial and  technological terms "- said the analyst.

And now, when the sanctions regime is becoming tougher, and their  list is expanding, Bolton's visit to the Iranian north-western border  area - the South Caucasus, according to his estimates, is due to the  potential for sanctions violation by both Armenia and Azerbaijan and  Georgia. Cohen is convinced that the United States is serious enough  and will strongly discourage it.

The American analyst determines the interests of the United States in  the South Caucasus primarily by the geopolitical location of the  region. In this light, communications and good working relations with  all the countries of the region: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are  extremely important for the United States.  "First of all, in my  opinion, the US should be interested in preventing any regional  powers in the South Caucasus: Russia, Iran and Turkey. The United  States also needs to maintain access to the energy and transport  arteries of the South Caucasus. The war in Afghanistan has perfectly  demonstrated all the importance of this access for the US ", -  concluded Cohen.