Azerbaijan tries to normalize ties with Iran to realize expectations regarding Armenia, says analyst

Azerbaijan is trying to normalize its relations with Iran to pursue its goals in terms of Armenia, according to a political analyst.

Expert Armen Petrosyan says that amid the active topic of unblocking regional connections in South Caucasus, where Azerbaijan has its special interests, the latter needs a positive environment with Iran to realize them.

Petrosyan made the comments after Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s assistant Hikmet Hajiyev’s visit to Iran.

“Over the course of the last month, the Azerbaijani tactics in its relations with Iran implied a tactic of manageable tension in the region also in the relations with neighboring countries, in order to show that Azerbaijan is able to simultaneously deal with several directions, Armenia, Russia, France, Iran, and conduct political and propaganda resistance. Naturally such a conduct sends signals beyond the region, particularly to the new U.S. administration, because new developments are taking place and the topic of unblocking regional connections in the South Caucasus is increasingly becoming more active, where Azerbaijan has its special interests and in order to realize them it needs at least a manageable, positive atmosphere with Iran,” Petrosyan said.

Citing the latest statements made by Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev, the analyst warned that Azerbaijan has not abandoned what it describes as the “Zangezur corridor” project.

Petrosyan didn’t rule out that the activation of the topic of unblocking could be linked to Turkiye’s interests and its growing efforts. Since Azerbaijan continues to expect an extraterritorial solution and wants unilateral concessions by Armenia, then, according to Petrosyan, Baku will pursue a tactic on two levels, just like before.

“First is the language of threats, meaning if the Armenian side doesn’t meet Azerbaijan’s demands, Azerbaijan still states that it will achieve its goal at any cost, and second is the language of blackmail, meaning, if the Armenian side doesn’t agree then Azerbaijan would use Iranian infrastructures. Azerbaijan can’t implement its project on neither level without the existence of a positive relationship environment with Iran,” Petrosyan said.

One of the key actors who is against the use of force is Iran. And in the second case, an alternative road would be provided to Azerbaijan again by Iran, thus Azerbaijan needs positive partnership with Iran for the resolution of the matter. That’s why Azerbaijan tried to mitigate the tensions by sending top official Hajiyev to Iran.

 “Of course, Iran is not ready for the implementation of the Azerbaijani project, but on the other hand we must realize that the Iranian side’s opportunities are somewhat limited. At this moment Iran has a highly important task, as long as the fundamental changes continue taking place in the world Iran will try to keep manageable the existing problems in all regions in its neighborhood, to not allow military escalation or foreign intervention. In this context a positive environment in the relations with Azerbaijan is important for Iran too, which would allow to find solutions for the problems through direct dialogue, especially when in conflict situations Azerbaijan is acting far more brazenly and undesirable actors for Iran could intervene in them,” the analyst said.

Petrosyan said that although the Azerbaijani side would try to convince Iran to have a pro-Azerbaijani stance regarding the corridor, the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated during the meeting with Hajiyev that Tehran’s red lines remain the same and that the preservation of territorial integrity and sovereignty of regional countries is of principled and vital significance for Iran.