Diplomatic Summit in Tehran Highlights Geopolitical Tensions in South Caucasus

Baku/24.10.23/Turan: In a significant diplomatic gathering, foreign ministers from five key nations convened in Tehran for the second meeting of the 3+3 regional mechanism. During the event, they reiterated their commitment to the principles outlined in the UN Charter and emphasized the importance of peaceful dispute resolution.

The joint statement issued at the conclusion of the summit encapsulated the fundamental principles that guided the foreign ministers in their deliberations.

Responding to today's diplomatic summit in Tehran, the U.S. State Department welcomed the participation of Armenia and Azerbaijan in peaceful initiatives but voiced reservations about the reliability of Iran and Russia as partners in the process.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, addressing Washington correspondent Turan during a briefing, said: "We welcome any fair actions that contribute to peace and stability in the South Caucasus, regardless of where and by whom these negotiations take place."

Simultaneously, he added, "However, we acknowledge that the South Caucasus is geographically close to Iran and Russia, but we have not found reliable partners in these countries."

Political analyst Ahmed Alili provided insights into these developments on the "Difficult Question" program. He noted that immediately after the 2020 Karabakh war, Turkey and Russia were presented as key players in the "3+3" format, seemingly resolving regional dynamics and shaping a new reality. Given Iran's involvement and the nature of Russian-Iranian relations, this platform appeared promising.

However, Alili pointed out that the Armenian side was profoundly dissatisfied with Russia, believing it had not fulfilled its allied obligations. Consequently, Armenia started engaging with the EU-US negotiating platform. Azerbaijan also joined these forums, achieving notable successes. Within the EU platform, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recognized Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Nevertheless, Armenia later shifted back to the Russian platform and then returned to the European direction without significant progress.

Alili further explained that after the events of September 19-20, Armenia began cultivating positive narratives on the European platform. He highlighted the EU's dissatisfaction with Azerbaijan's actions regarding the Aghdam road, stating that "Brussels is dissatisfied with the fact that, despite Pashinyan's recognition of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, it failed to secure recognition of special rights and freedoms for Karabakh Armenians from Azerbaijan."

Given these dynamics, Alili speculated that Armenia might lean toward the European platform while Azerbaijan strives to revitalize the 3+3 format, underscoring the intricate diplomatic  solitaire of the South Caucasus.--0--