Wednesday, September 22 2021 13:18

ArmInfo.Vital relations with Iran are a certain component in ensuring the national security of Armenia. A similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by head of the  Department of Iranian Studies at YSU Vardan Voskanyan.

"In this light, the relations between Armenia and Iran have no  alternative but to develop. And this is regardless of the approaches  declared by one side or the other. Yerevan needs to work exclusively  in this direction, refraining from statements pleasing to the ear of  the Azerbaijani dynastic dictator. Moreover, , statements that can  significantly limit our partners in their actions, "he stressed.

Commenting on the recent statement of the Iranian Foreign Ministry,  in the context of the current situation near the village of Vorotan,  the Iranianist described it as quite correct, however, clearly  indicating the importance of relations and ties with Armenia for  Tehran. In short, this statement, in his opinion, underlined the  inadmissibility of the formation of any problems on the road  connecting Armenia with Iran.

Since September 12, Azerbaijani police stationed near the village of  Vorotan in the Syunik region of Armenia have stopped and checked  Iranian trucks, demanding tolls from drivers. On September 15, they  detained two Iranian drivers, accusing them of delivering goods to  Artsakh. These actions of Azerbaijan have already created a serious  problem for the trade between Iran and Armenia, since many truck  drivers are simply not able to pay Azerbaijani levies.

In any case, in light of the situation at Vorotan, the Iranist  attaches great importance to the response and position of the  Armenian side. And he explains the inability of Armenia's partners  and allies to be more proactive in this matter precisely by the  incomprehensibility and ambiguity of Yerevan's response.  Meanwhile,  Voskanyan is convinced that the reaction of Armenia's partners and  allies should be included in the messages coming from Yerevan.

"Without a doubt, the messages from Armenia regarding the hostile  Azerbaijan ruled by a dictatorial regime should be extremely tough.   The appearance of enemy soldiers on the sovereign territory of  Armenia, the placement of a customs point on the road connecting  Armenia with Iran, levying tribute to Iranian drivers, is already the  limit of arrogance even for Aliyev. And Yerevan's response to such  impudence should be appropriate, "he stressed.  

By such behavior, the head of the Absheron dynastic regime, according  to the Iranist, seeks to solve several problems in parallel. In  particular, to exert moral and psychological pressure on Armenia,  since today there is not a single guarantee that already tomorrow the  Azerbaijani "customs officers" will not stop the Armenian car in  order to levy a tribute.  

"The more practical goal of applying such pressure on Armenia is to  reach the so-called "Zangezur Corridor". And of course, this is a  clear message to Iran; the message from the Turkish-Azerbaijani  tandem, which is trying in every possible way to block alternative  routes of Iran's exit to the north. "While the latter are not only of  commercial-economic, but also geopolitical significance for Tehran,"  the Iranian expert concluded.