Azerbaijan's neighbors - patrons of Armenia

Our ancestors said well: "A lance cannot be hidden in a sack." Iran's relation to Azerbaijan and the activities of the Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh have repeatedly confirmed this proverb.

The officials of the Islamic Republic said that they had not previously been in contact with the separatists in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and did not carry any food, fuel, etc., from Iran to the occupiers. Even Tehran officials and their clerics denied video footage proving that trucks with license plates of the Islamic Republic carry fuel and other cargo to Karabakh. During the 44-day war, officials from the neighboring country denied that military equipment and ammunition sent from Russia had been transferred to Armenian through the territory of Iran. In general, Azerbaijan has never seen Iran by its side in the struggle against the occupiers and their supporters. Over the years, the government in Tehran has provided real financial assistance to Armenia while issued only a statement of support for Azerbaijan.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei's recent fatwa claim on Karabakh has not remained unclear. Attempts to cringe at the Tehran government were quickly uncovered. Because, according to the rules, the fatwa is written and sealed. However, there is no evidence that Khamenei signed such a document. The famous speech of the Supreme Leader of Iran emphasizes protecting the rights of Armenians.

Recently, new facts have emerged about the relations between the Iranian government and Armenians in the territories of Azerbaijan, temporarily stationed by the Russian peacekeepers. The Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan was invited to the Foreign Ministry and given a note of protest. On the same day, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry also warned Russian peacekeepers. The document states that the remnants of the Armenian army are setting up new posts in Karabakh. It also said that the Armenian side was deliberately resorting to provocations to aggravate the situation, and so on.

Article 4 of the ceasefire statement signed on November 10, 2020, clearly states: "The peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is deployed in parallel with the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces." Despite the presence of Russian peacekeepers, the remnants of the Armenian occupying army remain in Azerbaijan and expand their activities, which is a violation of the commitment by both Russia and Armenia. By the way, the document does not envisage the maintenance of any armed group by Armenian separatists. In this regard, any armed group in the territory of Azerbaijan, which is temporarily under the control of Russian peacekeepers, contradicts the law. As they are an illegal armed group, Azerbaijan has the right to disarm them.

As it seems, The Russian military is not acting under its mandate in Azerbaijan. Their main task is to ensure peace between Azerbaijanis and Armenians, who are Azerbaijani citizens in the area. However, by helping the Armenians establish military posts or other armed groups, they are driving the citizens of our region away from Azerbaijan. The peacekeepers' support for such activities instills fear in them about Azerbaijan. This form of peacekeeping by the Russian military creates a phobia in Armenians against Azerbaijan. By such actions, they turn Armenian citizens against Azerbaijan. In this case, it turns out that peacekeepers protect these citizens from their state. How does such an activity comply with the peacekeeping mandate? Of course, such an approach is to support Armenians' hostility against Azerbaijan, stir up this attitude, incite national hatred, and even give it a new form.

In any case, the peacekeepers support Armenia's provocation on the Azerbaijani border with activities that do not comply with their mandate. Speaking at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu about the situation on the border, the new Armenian Defense Minister Arshak Karapetyan said, "Our patience is not endless. We will use force." This statement can be considered the result of such activity. At the meeting, Sergei Shoigu promised Armenia: "Russia is ready to contribute to the modernization and reforming of the Armenian armed forces." Shoigu noted that Russia's 102nd military base is well equipped and stationed in Armenia as a guarantor of security: "Armenia is Russia's ally and a key partner in ensuring security in the South Caucasus, we are extremely interested in maintaining stability in the region."

Thus, such facts prove once again that Azerbaijan's northern and southern neighbors still do not fulfill their obligations under official documents and the results of negotiations.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev touched spoke about these issues in an interview with AzTV on July 22: "We conduct daily monitoring – how many vehicles have entered the Lachin corridor and how many have left. At the same time, we see vehicles arriving from abroad. We have said that this must end, this is not good, this is our territory. How can a foreign vehicle enter there without our permission? Also, if someone thinks that we do not see this, then they are wrong. Sometimes Armenian plates are attached to these cars. But we are there, and we are in the corridor. We see everything – both Khankandi and the corridor. So this must end. The number of vehicles entering there significantly exceeds that of leaving every day."

Thus, a lie has no legs. It does not last more than 40 days.