Iran holds new expectations about Armenia as EEU member – experts
Expert in Iranian studies Mher Baghdasaryan believes that it is not transporting Iranian gas to the West through Armenia that is the key point on the agenda of Armenian-Iranian relations.
Rather, it is new prospects of relations with Armenia as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
“Armenia became an EEU member, which opens up new opportunities for Armenia-Iran relations,” Mr Baghdasaryan told Tert.am. Developing economic ties with the EEU is economically more beneficial for Iran.
“In contrast to the other EEU member-states, Armenia has a common border with Iran. It opens up new opportunities for Armenia. And in the foreseeable future we are going to see what areas could bring benefit to Iran’s relations with Armenia or its using Armenia’s territory to reach the EEU,” he said.
As to the possibility of an Iranian gas pipeline running through Armenia, Mr Baghdasaryan said that to reach Europe through Armenia, Iranian gas has to be piped through Georgia and Russia first.
“That is, Russia-Georgia relations need to be improved first since the 2008 war. So it is not on Armenia’s consent or objection that the project depends. Iran can certainly compete with Russia in gas trade and the geopolitical situation must allow Iran to export its gas to Europe through Armenia.
Before coming to Armenia, the Iranian FM visited Azerbaijan and stated that Azerbaijan could be a bridge between Iran and the Caucasus and Europe, while Azerbaijan could reach the southern corridors and oceans.
As to whether it means Azerbaijan is being viewed as a candidate for a transit country instead of Armenia, Mr Baghdasaryan said that if Iran considered it more advisable to run its gas pipeline through Azerbaijan, it would have done it immediately after Azerbaijan gained independence.
“There is no point in launching [a pipeline] over the Black Sea via Azerbaijan, especially across the territory of Ukrane and Belarus. Do you imagine what smart project it would be?” Baghdasaryan asked.
He said he doesn’t find the option reasonable given that Turkey, as a neighbor of Iran, is much closer to Europe compared to Azerbaijan.
Commenting on the issue, another expert in Iranian studies, Gohar Iskandaryan, referred to an earlier statement by Iran’s foreign minister, saying that Armenia’s membership in the EEU opens up new opportunities in building future relations.
“I mean he was sending a message about the possibility of new expectations,” she said, stressing the importance of undertaking specific steps. “We know of many treaties and a number of projects, which were signed but never actually brought to life. So it is now important to wait whether the statements in question will be translated into reality,” she explained.
Iskandaryan said she thinks that the Iranian side will take a time-out to understand the EEU’s essence and Armenia’s possible role in the bloc.
“To be frank, Armenia doesn’t understand its functions well within the EEU either. Their decision as to whether or not to do anything in this region will come only after a there is a clarification,” she added.
As for Armenia’s possible role as a transit country for the Iranian gas, the expert said she doesn’t think that the option would easily work given that the United States has not fully exercised its sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
She first called attention to the pipeline’s diameter. “If we want Armenia to be a transit country for Iran, we need to have a new pipeline and increase the existing one’s diameter. What we have today is not enough” she said, not ruling out Iran’s possible negotiations with Turkey.
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