Monday, October 4 2021 10:28

ArmInfo. If the so-called "Zangezur Corridor" is realized, in this case, no matter by what methods, it will undoubtedly become a powerful threat to Iran's  security. A similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by head of the  Department of Iranian Studies at Yerevan State University Vardan  Voskanyan.

"The border with Armenia is extremely important for Iran. This is due  to the fact that it is Armenia that provides Iran with a way out of  the north, moreover, not only in trade and economic terms. In this  particular case, the geopolitical component of this border acquires  additional significance. In this light, any attempts of the  Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem to cut this exit are a big problem for  Tehran, "he stressed.

The Iranian expert recalled that in this sense, the presence of the  border between Iran and Artsakh in the period preceding the 44-day  Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh was an additional  guarantee for Tehran to maintain its own security and, accordingly,  peace. In this context, the Azerbaijani occupation of these  territories, according to his estimates, has already led to the  formation of new geopolitical threats against Iran, moreover, not  only in this section of the border, but also in the direction of the  borders directly with Armenia.

In this light, the Iranian expert assesses Tehran's tough rhetoric  and actions towards Baku as quite natural.  According to him, the  current maneuvers of the Iranian army practically along the entire  length of the border with Azerbaijan and Turkey Iran itself has  assessed as the largest over the past decades. According to the  expert, practically all types of the country's Armed Forces are  represented in the maneuvers.

According to Voskanyan, Tehran's reaction to what is happening in the  region was further intensified by the criticism of the Baku dictator  addressed to the IRI, the Turkish-Azerbaijani military exercises in  the occupied Kashatagh region and, most importantly, the plans of  Ankara and Baku regarding the so-called "Zangezur Corridor". "We see  that this idea, without a doubt, meets with active opposition from  Iran.  Russia is not delighted with the Turkish-Azerbaijani  expansionist plans. I believe that all this gives Armenia the  opportunity for greater maneuvering and, accordingly, raising a large  cross on the "Zangezur" plans of Ankara and Baku, "the Iranian expert  summed up.

On October 2, Azerbaijan brought the army to full combat readiness.  Iran, in turn, began to pull troops to the border of Azerbaijan in  mid-September. Reacting to Aliyev's indignation in this regard, the  Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the exercise is the sovereign  right of any state. And only a day before the start of the maneuvers,  Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Force Brigadier General Kiomars  Heidari made an official statement, explaining the goals and  objectives of the maneuvers. Actually, this is evidenced by the very  name of the exercises - "Conquerors of Khaybar". The stronghold of  the Jews, the Khaybar oasis to the north of Medina, in 629 was  captured by the Muslim army led by the Prophet Muhammad.