Iran will be the focus of John Bolton's Baku visit

The trip comes after the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a web of Iranian businesses that are suspected of financing pro-regime paramilitary units such as the Basij which recruits soldiers to fight in various conflicts in the Middle East on behalf of the Iranian regime.

Moreover, since his election President Trump has made it clear that his primary Middle East policy is to roll back Iran"s influence in the region. He pulled out of the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and placed further tough economic sanctions on the regime, showing the US administration"s commitment to counter Iran"s subversive activities in the region.

The Trump administration"s approach to Iran is a combination of military and financial measures in which the United States and its allies have leverage. The White House"s second set of sanctions, which will restrict the sale of oil and petrochemicals from Iran, comes into force on 4 November. Washington has made it clear that whoever does business and trade with Iran after these sanctions come into effect will pay a high price. As regards Mr Bolton, his reputation is well known and he is one of the staunchest supporters of tough policies against Tehran.

So, what is to be expected from John Bolton"s visit to Azerbaijan? First and foremost, as Mr Bolton said in his tweet, America"s security interests in the region top the agenda. And Iran comes first in those security interests. Azerbaijan and Iran have strong trade and business relations. The previous American administrations" sanctions on Iran have never covered Azerbaijani-Iranian bilateral trade. But now the US government is determined to isolate Iran at international level and, therefore, the sanctions presumably have to cover Azerbaijani-Iranian trade and business relations.

The Aliyev regime"s anti-Western attitude and growing ties with Russia have left Azerbaijan alone in the region without any strategically reliable ally. Recent democratization in Armenia has even pushed the Azerbaijani government further into military, economic and, above all, political alliance with Putin"s Russia. While a democratic Azerbaijan would find it easier to build alliances with the Western countries, President Trump has shown that he is ready to work with any states that can advance his security priorities.

During his visit to Baku Mr Bolton will also talk about energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and the US, which is no longer at the level of the 1990s. America"s support and commitment to resolving the Mountainous Karabakh conflict peacefully and fighting terrorism will also be part of the talks with President Aliyev. As far as his visits to the other countries in the region are concerned, Mr Bolton will express the United States" support for the new democratic changes in Armenia and the American-Georgian regional alliance.