Expert: Tehran`s interest in projects with Armenia is due to  geopolitical shifts

ArmInfo.The need to implement a project to create an international transport and logistics corridor linking the Persian Gulf with the Black Sea, the construction of the  North- South highway has been discussed for at least 15 years. And  Tehran's current interest in their implementation has a number of  reasons. The UN National Expert on Energy Issues Ara Marjanyan  expressed a similar opinion to ArmInfo.

On May 25, a delegation headed by the Minister of Road Construction  and Urban Development of Iran Mohammad Eslami paid a working visit to  Armenia. On May 26, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif  arrived in Yerevan. According to acting Deputy Prime Minister of  Armenia Tigran Avinyan, Armenia and Iran continue to work on the  Persian Gulf - Black Sea transport corridor. "For the implementation  of the project, an international working group has already been  created, which has already held a meeting. We must develop the most  lightweight mechanisms for the transportation of goods along this  important route," he said.

According to the expert, Tehran's current initiatives towards the  implementation of the notorious projects are largely due to the  latest regional geopolitical shifts. In particular, the emergence of  projects to unblock regional communications following the results of  last year's 44-day war. Another factor that allows Iran to begin to  substantively respond to regional transformations, according to  Marjanyan, are the latest trends towards the actual termination of  the West's sanctions policy towards Iran. "The latter circumstance  allows Iran to initiate new rather large-scale programs. And we  understand that these programs, which are most important for both  Iran and Armenia, have always been relevant. But they have not been  implemented so far due to a number of circumstances. In this light,  it is important to emphasize that the beginning of their  implementation at least a year ago would have allowed Armenia to  avoid a number of problems, "he stressed.

In this light, even today the expert predicts active opposition to  these communication projects, both by Azerbaijan and Turkey.  According to his forecasts, to this end, Ankara and Baku will take a  number of steps in order to reduce the international attractiveness  and, accordingly, the degree of importance of these projects. With  the ultimate goal of hindering their funding from the largest  international donors.

"Against this background, the most important task for Armenia is to  show an extreme degree of consistency in the direction of achieving  the implementation of these projects. In this light, Yerevan must  refuse to subordinate its own interests to the interests of any other  actors and players. And try, as soon as possible, to realize them. A  serious development opportunity looms before Armenia. An opportunity  that we have no right to miss, "the expert concluded.