Alwaght- Recently, an unprecedented verbal dispute between Azerbaijani and Iranian officials reached a high level. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan claimed that over the past month, Iranian trucks entered Karabakh region illegally, triggering Azerbaijani security forces' intervention. The climax of the crisis in the neighbors' relations appeared after unfounded remarks by Hussein Quliyev, an Azerbaijani lawmaker, about the Iranian territorial integrity. Alwaght has talked to Hassan Beheshtipour, an Iranian expert of Caucasus affairs, asking him about the challenge that is throwing off balance the Azerbaijani-Iranian ties.
Aliyev's remarks are "false"
Asked for comment about the remarks by the Azerbaijani president, Mr Beheshtipour said that there must be a distinction between the comments of the lawmaker and the president in the interview with Anadolu news agency.
"The positions of the member of the parliament of Azerbaijan can be considered as a repetitive story and positions that have been repeated many times by such people. These statements are mostly propaganda and are motivated by graft offered by the Israeli regime. Over the past years, the Israeli regime has always tried to republish all kinds of accusations and statements against Iran's security in the media of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In general, it can be said that such statements are not so important and are mostly made by some mercenaries of Tel Aviv, but the remarks of Aliyev as a head of state should be taken into consideration."
Mr Beheshtipour further called the president's comments "an official stance of the state." What the president said about a recent Iranian military drills are very important. Aliyev admitted that it is Iran's definite right to hold military exercises on its borders but the reason and timing of the Iranian drills raise questions for Baku.
"We need to ask Aliyev some questions? Why did you hold military exercises jointly with Turkey and Pakistan? Have you been responsible for spying and counter-security measures of the Israeli regime on your borders with Iran? Concerning the timing of the Iranian drills, we should make it clear that Iran has the right for maneuvers whenever Tehran finds it necessary and in any part of the country, without need for permission from any party. So, the Azerbaijani question is categorically wrong. Determining the time and location of the military drills is the job of a country's officials."
Israeli regime managing the crisis-generating efforts
Mr Beheshtipour noted that so far many media reported such stances by some Azerbaijan politicians. But why did Aliyev made his stance during interview with the Turkish official news agency Anadolu? This indicates that Aliyev intends to portray himself as backed by Ankara and Erdogan. It is highly unlikely that Turkey wants to instrumentalize Azerbaijan for anti-Iranian agenda, because the relations between Tehran and Ankara, despite all the ups and downs, have had a positive course and have never witnessed military conflict or threats.
"We should not be caught by Azerbaijan's media propaganda and psychological warfare. This is a war designed by Tel Aviv. Rocking Tehran-Ankara-Baku relations by tensions has been and will be a long-term Israeli aim. The Israeli destabilizing efforts come while the three countries have always been friendly and tensions will serve Israelis interests. Essentially, Tel Aviv finds continuation of its life in crisis and tensions."
Israeli trap should be averted
"Before Aliyev's remarks, we could consider the tensions within media war boundaries. But now the matter is official and state-level. I believe that if we accept that the tensions of Iran with Ankara and Baku are an Israeli scheme, we should discontinue escalation. Still, this does not mean that Tehran should appease Baku. The objective should be de-escalation, but not at any price."
