Iran's Interests Do Not Align With the Turkish-Azerbaijani Alliance Advancing Even 1cm in Armenia, Vardan Voskanian

In response to the expected reactions from friendly countries like Iran, Vardan Voskanian, an Iran expert, emphasized that we must first understand whether there has been a clear, well-argued, and decisive official statement from Armenia regarding the ongoing occupation of certain territorial areas by the Baku dictator. In an interview with Tert.am, he discussed the border situation in Syunik and the anticipated support from neighboring countries.

“It is evident that Iran's interests do not align with the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance advancing even one centimeter in Armenia, especially in the Syunik region. However, if we do not acknowledge the fact that parts of our sovereign territory in Syunik have been occupied and do not expect Iranian support in this direction, then it is pointless to wait for someone to be ‘more Catholic than the Pope,’” he stated.

According to Voskanian, while we have friends on the international stage, they often await Armenia’s clear positions to exert pressure on the Baku dictator using their available tools. However, when statements from Armenia suggest that certain territories are Azerbaijani, it raises the question of whether the international community can pressure Azerbaijan.

“Ultimately, the Baku dictator has declared that Armenia accepts some sections of the Goris-Kapan road as Azerbaijani; therefore, all other ‘players’ need to remain silent about it,” he added, noting the ongoing process where the enemy puts us in a factual position, and then we begin to search for answers.

“We must prepare for the enhancement of Armenia's defense capabilities. For this, there are several platforms, the first of which relates to Armenia-Russia bilateral relations, and subsequently to the CSTO. Currently, due to the imperialistic ambitions of the Baku dictator and the Erdoğan administration, there is also an opportunity to deepen relations with Iran, particularly in the field of security, which involves developing scenarios for anti-terrorism operations and establishing mechanisms in that direction,” Voskanian said.

He noted that the opportunities do not end there; India is also interested in our region, considering Pakistan’s involvement in the 44-day war and now in the operations being planned against Armenia. Thus, according to Voskanian, Armenia can also collaborate with India to address certain components of its security needs.

On the flip side, Voskanian observed that Turkey does not have many friends in the Middle East, making that direction a primary focus of Armenia's foreign policy.

“The Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance will not cease its anti-Armenian actions, aggressive steps, and attempts to encroach upon Armenian territory, as well as promoting a policy of extermination against the Armenian population of Artsakh. This is fundamentally part of their state-building agenda, which they do not hide at all. Under current conditions, Armenia must work on a single focus: to strengthen its security, utilize all available tools to weaken the enemy, and avoid any agreements that would entrench our state's precarious state,” he said.

Responding to promises of opening a “peace era,” the Iran expert emphasized that, in fact, no peace era has opened in our region, as history shows that peace eras and periods of stability have been very short-lived.

According to Voskanian, the enemy, including the Baku dictator and the Erdoğan administration supporting him, understands this well. Considering their actions, they have always aimed at preparing for the next military confrontation.

“This is evidenced by the unprecedented number of military exercises conducted, as well as aggressive actions against Armenian territory and the occupation of certain sections of our republic. Therefore, it is naive to think that the enemy is preparing for peace. They are preparing to bring Armenia to its knees and achieve their nearly 100-year dream of establishing a ‘Turkic corridor’ that Turkey will connect to Central Asia through the Republic of Nakhchivan and the artificial Azerbaijani entity,” Voskanian stated, noting that they spare no effort in implementing this project.

“Our first step should be to present this picture to our society, to put an end to the illusions, and we, understanding the current situation, should prepare adequate responses to all enemy encroachments—not only by creating a moral and psychological atmosphere ready to respond to all challenges within Armenia but also by restoring all our security systems,” Voskanian concluded.