Rouhani’s visit to Yerevan: where's Muslim solidarity and brotherhood? - COMMENT

Baku. 22 December. REPORT.AZ/ I would like to start the article dedicated to increasing support of Iran to Armenia with one statistical data for those who don’t believe coincidence. On December 23, 2011 president of Iran Mahmud Ahmadinejad visited Yerevan. Just before and during the visit he called the Armenia, who keeps Azerbaijani lands under occupation, a “friendly and brotherly state”, and told that they support settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through peaceful talks. Mahmud Ahmadinejad told that Iran and Armenia are connected with historical and cultural roots.

But it wasn’t his first visit to Armenia. He visited Armenia on March 19, 2007. Then, on the eve of Novruz holiday, the head of Islamic Republic’s government attended opening ceremony of gas pipeline to Armenia and called Armenians his “close friend and brother”.

Notably, the joint gas project envisaged annual delivery of 400 million cubic meters of natural gas to Armenia. After construction of gas pipeline to Yerevan, the volume of transported gas was raised to 2.5 billion cubic meters.

By the way, Mahmud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Yerevan came on the eve of Catholic’s Christmas holiday, the birthday of Jesus.

Yesterday president of Islamic Republic Hasan Rouhani paid visit to Armenia. In other words, the visit took place 5 years after Ahmadinejad’s visit with one-day difference.

Visits of Islamic Republic’s officials to Armenia on the eve of Christmas holidays once in five years may not be regarded as coincidence. May be Iranian government believes this is a lucky date…

During Hasan Rouhani’s visit several agreements on sport, emergency, historical museums, tourism, as well as common use of Armenia’s Megri and Iran’s Nurduz border crossings were signed.

After meeting with Serzh Sargsyan, Hasan Rouhani spoke about completing suspended projects between two countries, increasing volume of export of natural gas to this country, expanding economic and trade ties. He noted that they will establish “Araz” free trade zone with Armenia.

Hasan Rouhani touched upon Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: “We discussed the issue of security of the region. We want to see peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict. This will bring benefit to the region”. He claimed that military resolution of the conflict is impossible: “We believe that we will witness peace and stability in the region”. H. Rouhani told without distinction between invader and the side subject to invasion that both Azerbaijan and Armenia are friendly states for Iran.

Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan told they discussed with Hasan Rouhani the importance of further development of ties in culture, economy and trade and energy fields: “We appreciate Iran’s balanced policies for settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We confirmed once again that there is no military way for settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh problem. We underlined during discussions that any step aimed at raising tension will bring to violation of stability in the region”.

Hasan Rouhani invited his Armenian counterpart to visit Iran. Serzh Sargsyan accepted the invitation. According to information, Armenian president is expected to travel to Islamic Republic in first half of 2017.

Visit to Yerevan of Islamic Republic’s president in 8 days after visit of Israel’s prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu to Azerbaijan is also not coincidence. Tehran government used Armenia during 25 years to put pressure on Azerbaijan and in some cases on Turkey.

Then Yerevan government is mostly tool pressure for Tehran. Iran just like Russia helps Armenia due to this function. It turns out so that Islamic Republic is one of main supporters of occupation of Azerbaijani lands.

It proves that relation of Iranian government with Armenia is not coincidence. In such case there is a zero or even less chance that Islamic Republic will be an intermediary for liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh from occupation. Because some people hope that Turkey-Russia-Iran regional trio will solve the problem. But Tehran’s behaviors upset this hope.

We are not envious of development of ties between Iran and Armenia. Because after restoration of independence of Azerbaijan, we revised and recognized our friends, enemies, allies and rivals. Moreover, we are aware of Tehran government, who keeps friendly relations with invader and supports its development, disrespecting 30 million Azerbaijani Turks, which are its own citizens and ignoring their national identity.

Then what should we expect from Islamic Republic of Iran?

All of above proves that Iran was never sincere in its relation with Azerbaijan. Islamic Republic declared itself a protector of Muslims. Unfortunately, when the topic is Armenian aggression toward Azerbaijan, occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and neighboring regions, the situation changes. Tehran government sets aside Muslim solidarity, religious brotherhood, unity, and never try to remember it. Hasan Rouhani’s efforts to balance between invader Armenia and Azerbaijan, who is exposed to aggression, proves this opinion. It reminds a popular folk saying: “Iranian government, whose cousin are you?” Usually Iranian officials say that being engaged in politics doesn’t harm religion and faith. Then how the words of Iranian president “Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are friendly states for Iran” can be interpreted in terms of religion and faith? After all Armenia is an enemy of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis, who are Muslims in terms of religion and faith. Can the friend of enemy be a friend to Azerbaijan in such a case?! Anyway, this is the situation. All these are not coincidences.