Perspectives of Iran-Azerbaijan relations: Commentary by Iranian Majlis Research Center
By Armen Israyelyan, Iranian studies expert
During the election campaign, newly elected Iranian President Hassan Rohani, speaking of Iran’s foreign policy problems and challenges of relations with some neighboring countries, said, “It is not an exaggeration to say that Azerbaijan has become a threat to Iran’s security. The actions taken by some Azerbaijani officials pose threat to Iran’s territorial integrity. Therefore, Iran’s responsible officials should not show indifference to Azerbaijan’s threats.”
On this backdrop, the Iranian Majlis Research Center made a report on Iran-Azerbaijan relations.
The report, published on the official website of the Iranian Majlis, says, in part, “Since the Aliyevs came to power, anti-religious policy was formed in Azerbaijan: they spared no effort to keep the Azerbaijani population away from Islamic and Shiite self-consciousness and to take the path of political and cultural secularism.”
According to the report, pan-Azeri ideology was formed in Azerbaijan over the past years, which is based on the idea of the Turkish-Azeri nation, and represents it as unit of Azerbaijan’s national identity. To form national unity, the idea of creating “Great Azerbaijan” was put forward, which also includes Azeri-speaking areas of Iran.
“Iran-Azerbaijan relations have cooled over the past years. Azerbaijan strengthened political, economic and cultural ties with the West and Israel during the past years.
This is a serious warning for Iran. All state structures of Iran should realize the processes taking place in Azerbaijan and predict all ways so that they are ready to carry out adequate actions for the fair protection of the national interests of Iran should any of the scenarios be carried out.”
Analyzing the statement of Hassan Rohani and the report of the Iranian Majlis Research Center, we can establish that this is the summary of the past years’ challenges of the bilateral relations which are becoming even greater.
Time will show what kind of position Hassan Rohani will have on Azerbaijan, but in consideration of strategic partnership between Israel and Azerbaijan, Baku’s policy of oppressing Islamic movements, Azerbaijan’s pretensions to Iran’s northern provinces and Iranian culture, the issue of the Caspian Sea status, border incidents and many other issues, an atmosphere of mutual confidence is unlikely to form between Tehran and Baku in the years to come.
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