Turkologist: US aims to redraw Middle East borders  and disrupt  alternative communications

ArmInfo.The US needs a war with Iran to redraw borders in the Middle East to redirect trade  flows. Vladimir Avatkov, head of the Middle and Post-Soviet East Department at the Institute of Scientific Information on Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, professor at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Turkologist, during a Moscow-Yerevan video conference on "Turkey and  the Middle East Crisis."

According to the expert, the situation in the region demonstrates a  radical crisis that has developed in the system of international  relations. "A new system of international relations is currently  being formed, and this process is accompanied by numerous conflicts.  The United States needs new borders in the Middle East, which will  allow them to reorient trade flows. Specifically, the United States  is seeking to disrupt the North-South and West-East International  Transport Corridors,  passing through this region. This affects not  only the interests of Russia and other regional players, but also the  interests of China, which is implementing the One Belt, One Road  project," the expert clarified.

According to Avatkov, all of this is being done to suit American  interests, since if successful, China will have to trade with Europe  through the United States, allowing the Americans to sell Chinese  goods at a premium. At the same time, the expert believes that the  United States is running out of time, as the country's military  resources are being depleted. According to him, in the current  reality, Washington has two options: either expand the conflict or  curtail it. To implement the first scenario, according to the  Avatkov, the United States needs to draw Turkey into the conflict.

"Pressure on Turkey will continue, and new provocations can be  expected. Similar pressure will be exerted on Azerbaijan by Israel.  For example, a situation could arise again where one ballistic  missile hits Turkish territory, then a second, which would, of  course, be intercepted by American systems. This creates a situation  in which the US is assisting Turkey and demanding reciprocal action  from it," the expert noted.

Meanwhile, according to Avakov, Turkey's involvement is unfavorable  for Iran, as the country has well- developed armed forces. The expert  noted that this could lead to a serious escalation of the conflict,  especially given Turkey's existing agreements with Azerbaijan and  Pakistan. "It's also important to remember that Azerbaijanis live in  northern Iran, so Turkey's involvement in this confrontation is  unacceptable for Iran, but acceptable for London and the US.  Therefore, efforts are currently being made to fuel this situation,  as this would be the only way the conflict could spread to the South  Caucasus," the expert concluded.