If Azerbaijan truly seeks peace, it must drop the language of preconditions with Yerevan – Iranian expert

If Azerbaijan truly seeks to regulate its relations with Armenia and achieve lasting peace in the South Caucasus, it should stop to speak with Yerevan in the language of preconditions, according to Ehsan Movahedian, an international relations specialist, lecturer and Caucasus expert at Tehran’s ATU University.

The expert noted that introducing new preconditions indicates that Baku is not genuinely striving for peace.

In an interview with Armenpress, Movahedian referred to the statements from Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding their agreement on the text of the draft peace treaty and the new preconditions voiced by Baku. He emphasized: “When discussing peace, everyone naturally responds positively and is interested in its establishment. However, there are still unresolved issues that remain part of the process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

"Peace will bring stability and security to the South Caucasus. Under peaceful conditions, there will be greater cultural and economic opportunities, as well as enhanced cooperation in various fields. All Iranians welcome this peace agreement. If it is realized, we hope it will ensure lasting peace, security and stability," Movahedian stated.

According to him, one of the key unresolved issues is the false narrative surrounding the so-called ‘Zangezur Corridor,’ “which is not addressed by the agreement and continues to be a source of instability.”

“We see that Baku speaks about peace, but when it comes to the peace deal and negotiations, they introduce issues that have nothing to do with peace,” the Iranian expert emphasized.

Movahedian also pointed to another precondition raised by Azerbaijan—the issue of so-called Azerbaijani displaced persons, whom Baku intends to settle in Armenia.

“They say (referring to Azerbaijani authorities) that tens of thousands of ‘displaced’ Azerbaijanis should be settled in Armenia. What does that mean? Do you intend to change Armenia’s demographic composition? Do you want to alter the country’s population by force? And why do you never speak about the people of Artsakh, who have been displaced from their homes and have lived there for centuries?” the expert questioned, addressing Azerbaijani authorities.

Movahedian considers Baku's claim that Yerevan should provide Azerbaijan with a corridor for unhindered passage through Armenia both unacceptable and incomprehensible. According to him, by making such demands, the Azerbaijani side refuses to recognize Armenia’s sovereignty.

"If you are unwilling to recognize the sovereignty of an independent country, you cannot claim to seek peace. This is another source of instability. If Azerbaijanis wish to pass through Armenia while respecting its rights and jurisdiction, that would be acceptable. However, as far as I know, they are not willing to do so," the international expert noted.

Movahedian also questioned whether Azerbaijan or Turkey would allow residents of any other country to pass through their territory without following by their laws.

"So, if something is unacceptable to them, they are not in a position to demand that Armenians accept it," Movahedian emphasized.

According to him, Azerbaijan has also introduced another precondition that contradicts its claims of seeking peace. "Another point is Azerbaijan's demand for compensation from Armenia, alleging that Armenians living in Artsakh exploited local natural resources and damaged Azerbaijani historical heritage. This raises the question: why does Azerbaijan not compensate for its military attacks on Armenia since 2021 and the continued occupation of approximately 200 square kilometers of Armenian territory?" Movahedian noted.

The expert reiterated that all these preconditions demonstrate that Baku is not genuinely striving for peace.

"Baku is not seeking peace because it believes in its supremacy; it assumes it can continue to keep Armenia under pressure and force the fulfillment of its desired demands," the Iranian expert emphasized.

The governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan announced on March 13 that the negotiations around the peace treaty terms have been successfully concluded. The Armenian government has expressed readiness to start discussions with Azerbaijan around the date and venue of signing the agreement. 

However, Azerbaijan continues to promote the false claim that the Armenian Constitution contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan and has proposed amending the Constitution as a precondition for signing the peace agreement.

Baku has also demanded the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group as another precondition. Additionally, Azerbaijan continues to falsely assert that Armenia is refusing to fulfill its commitments regarding the unblocking of regional communications.