Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on international affairs, underlined the need for the vigilance of all parties, including Iran and Russia, regarding NATO and the future of Caucasus.
In an article for the
Tasnim news agency, Velayati has offered an analysis of the latest situation in the region and the international system, touching on issues ranging from recent moves by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Turkey and Azerbaijan in the region to the north of Iran and south of Russia.
Regarding Caucasus developments, Velayati in particular wirites:
“Now, in the midst of the Ukraine war, we are witnessing another style of change in policies of Turkey that introduced itself as being close to Russia. In recent days, it was reported that Turkey has agreed to approve Sweden’s NATO accession. It also handed some of Azov forces to Ukraine. As these change in stances occurs, in recent month the issue of Turkey being linked to Azerbaijan has also been raised, which Iran opposes. Those opposed to this say that if there is going to be a facilitation of the ties in the connection between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Nakhijevan, there is no need for occupation of a wide area of Armenian territory by neighbors. All of these facilities such as transfer of gas, electricity current, transit route, etc. can be made available easily without violating the sovereignty of Armenia and this is something common among countries.
Many observers were surprised as to why the two governments of Azerbaijan and Turkey are insisting so much on the possibility of rising tensions among related parties. Gradually, the realities became known and the understanding of experts is that the intention behind these extensive links that connect Nakhijevan to Azerbaijan is that, first, they would divide Armenia into two parts and, second, they disconnect Iran and Armenia, severing a link that dates back to the era of the Achaemenid and Parthian Empires. Third, it would limit Iran’s connection to outside and from then on, we will be neighbor to 14 countries, instead of 15, and the Islamic Republic of Iran’s free connection with North Caucasus, Russia and the European continent will be disrupted. Any change in regional borders will cause long-term tensions. And the most worrying thing would be the presence of alien countries in the border (regions)”.
