Tuesday, February 2 2021 11:57

ArmInfo. Iran's South Caucasian interest is primarily due to concern for its own security. A similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by Fyodor Lukyanov,  Chairman of the Presidium of the Council for Foreign and Defense  Policy of the Russian Federation, editor-in-chief of the Russia in  Global Affairs magazine.

"Tehran's desire to get involved in regional impulses after the  signing in Moscow of two trilateral statements on Karabakh and not  only on Karabakh is quite predictable and understandable. Especially  given the changes in the situation, the growing terrorist threat on  the Iranian border with Azerbaijan, where during the hostilities  there was a concentration of Iranian military, "he said.

In this light, Lukyanov prioritizes security in Tehran's interest in  the latest changes in the South Caucasus.  According to him, in the  conditions of cold, full of problematic relations with the US and the  EU, Tehran cannot ignore possible, fraught with threats, regional  changes. And, apparently, Iran is going to neutralize these threats  through close cooperation. Which, in the expert's opinion, became the  main leitmotif of the next regional visit of the head of the Iranian  Foreign Ministry.

The end of January was marked by the second major regional visit of  Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. The Iranian diplomat  visited Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Turkey as part of  the tour. Among the goals of Zarif's voyage is "holding negotiations  and promoting new ideas towards achieving a way out of the Karabakh  crisis, as well as establishing peace and stability in the region."  "In the post-war period, Tehran, of course, noticed the strengthening  of Turkish positions in the region, already gripped by powerful  Russian influence. Iran, being a neighboring country with Armenia and  Azerbaijan, has no such influence. And today Javad Zarif is trying  this situation for the second time.  regulate and find a niche for  Iran's interests in the latest and expected processes, "he stressed.

According to Lukyanov's assessments, statements from Tehran in recent  months and his entire position as a whole allow us to conclude that  the country has security problems. And today Iran is trying not only  not to stay away from regional impulses, but also to position itself  as a regional power, as it does along with Russia and Turkey in  Syria, "the analyst concluded.