Alwaght- Caucasus cooperation summit known as 3+3 platform concluded its meeting with the presence of foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia on Saturday, with Georgia being absent.
The meeting, the third of the nascent platform, published a statement on the need for regional cooperation to save stability while there are serious territorial differences between Azerbaijan and Armenia over implementation of one of controversial articles of the peace deal signed between Baku and Yerevan in 2020 and after Azerbaijan retook Karabakh from Armenia last year and dissolved autonomous government of Artsakh, the major tensions have been over their different interpretation of the article which is about a land corridor linking Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan.
Abbas Araghchi, as the head of the Iranian delegation, gave a speech at this meeting, describing the 3+3 mechanism as a symbol of the will of these countries to resolve regional disputes by the regional countries themselves.
Hailing the progress in the process of peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Araghchi announced that respect for territorial integrity, national sovereignty, internationally recognized borders and avoiding resorting to or threatening to use force are requirements for lasting peace in the region.
Alwaght talked to Ismail Bagheri, an expert of Eurasian affairs, asking him for details of the 3+3 meeting and the effect of its results on the regional situation.
At the beginning of his comments, Bagheri considered convergence versus divergence as one of the important keywords of this meeting. He continued that the main goal of the aforementioned actors was to establish peace and stability in the region and create convergence and cooperation instead of divergence and tensions. In other words, solving the problems of the South Caucasus through dialogue and mutual understanding was the most important mentioned output of this meeting, and the final statement decided that in addition to the inter-government interactions, popular interactions, cultural, educational, and tourist cooperation should be put on agenda.
Behind-the-scenes game of Turkey
Pointing to the significance of settling the Zangzor Corridor issue as the most important source of tensions between Baku and Yerevan, Bagheri said that it should be taken into account that the policies of some actors like Turkey and Azerbaijan follow specific goals and ambitions. These countries, according to Bagheri, sometimes play as proxies to the US and sometimes play their own game out of their regional expansionist policies. They may talk of peace and stability, but in practice they pursue their hegemonic goals in Caucasus. For example, Turkey's goal of following the fake Zangzor Corridor or Turani Corridor or interfering too much in the affairs of the Caucasus, is to expand its strategic depth and stabilize it in the Caucasus and then in Central Asia, and basically seeks the unification and integration of the Turkish-language countries. Turkey hides its main behavior and intention behind the phrase "establishing peace in the Caucasus" and strengthening regional cooperation.
Another important point is the American and Western strategy in South Caucasus. The US seeks to contain and limit Russia and Iran in this region and at the same time is seeking to create a breathing space for the Israeli regime. That is why it supports Turkish agenda in the region. At the same time, it has designed for itself various games in West Asia and the Caucasus as part of an effort to save its global power and it works towards these aims in association with its regional friends.
US supports Zangzor Corridor to inflame tensions
Bagheri believes that given NATO and the US's severe opposition to any changes to current security arrangements and order, Washington tries to gain a foothold in Caucasus, namely the area of Russian and Iranian influence in order to practically bring Moscow and Tehran under its control and at the same time secure flow of Azerbaijan and Central Asia energy to the Israeli regime and at the time of need use Azerbaijan for military, intelligence, and security actions against Iran. Therefore, the corridor eyed by Turkey, the US and Israeli regime has many economic, political, military and cultural dimensions and goals. Turkey and the US feel that they can challenge Iran's interests using pan-Turkism and inciting nationalism. Azerbaijan is mostly a lackey rather than an independent actor, so it implements mostly the policies dictated by the US and Turkey.
Iran opposed to the fake corridor
Asked how Tehran's views that are based on the geopolitical realities influence the outcomes of the meeting, Bagheri said that Iran is seriously opposed to geopolitical changes on its international borders with Armenia and even Azerbaijan. So, it is opposed to seizure of the 44-kilometer strip south of Armenia by Azerbaijan, Turkey, or even Russia. It is also against the fake Zangzor Corridor, because both of these cases practically put Iran in a geopolitical deadlock and as a result it loses the advantages of access to North Caucasus and Eastern Europe. But Tehran has not had any problem with opening the communication routes and giving Azerbaijan an access path to Nakhchivan under Iran's control and welcomes it. In fact, the Islamic Republic of Iran, by accepting the construction of the railway line of Azerbaijan through the Aras region, provided railway access of Azerbaijan from the Iranian city of Aghband to Nakhchivan, and with its active and friendly participation, Tehran has taken an important step towards solving this regional dispute.
Eliminating Iran from the communication routes under the name of peace
Iran has shown that it cares about opening the communication routes and that is why over the past 30 years of Karabakh dispute both Azerbaijan and Armenia used Iranian transportation routes. Iran's past performance has facilitated peace and stability in the region, but now other actors try to eliminate it from the communication routes and essentially from its acting in the region, something Iran's archenemies the US and Israeli regime are seeking, and Turkey and Azerbaijan are facilitating.
Commenting on the stances of the Iranian delegation in the meeting, Bagheri said that no further details of this meeting were given publicity, but given the statement, we can say that the parties highlighted the significance of dialogue and building a common discourse. They also emphasized use of opportunities of regional cooperation and the necessity of respecting national sovereignty and political independence of countries when it comes to important regional issues.
Without any doubt, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Iran each look at the issues of the South Caucasus through the lens of their own goals and interests. Turkey and Azerbaijan have a proxy role, indeed, driven by their interests in the corridor and this is while Iran has repeatedly announced its red lines regarding any geopolitical border changes. However, at the same time, it keeps Aras communication route open for boosting regional cooperation.
