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.