"The growing prestige of Turkey in Azerbaijan has created additional concern in Iran," political scientist

Baku/29.09.21/Turan: The growth of Turkey's authority in Azerbaijan after the 44-day Second Karabakh War created additional concern in Iran, political analyst Azer Rashidoglu said in an interview with Turan, commenting on the tension in relations between Azerbaijan and Iran in recent days.

He noted that tensions could always be observed in the relations between Iran and Azerbaijan.

"The factor of South Azerbaijan, the warm relations of official Baku with Israel and Western countries, the work of Western companies in the Caspian Sea worries Iran," Azer Rashidoglu said.

According to the political scientist, the biased position of official Tehran in the Karabakh war, the insulting statements of some representatives of the Iranian clergy about Azerbaijan have strengthened anti-Iranian sentiments in Azerbaijan.

Touching upon the internal political situation in Iran, Azer Rashidoglu noted that the supreme spiritual government existing in the power of Iran (at present, this institution is headed by an Azerbaijani - author) has great power and therefore it is not easy to oppose its representative.

“Despite all the contradictions, the regime in Iran is still strong. If a regime in Iran changes, it will turn into a war based on nationalism and religion, which could adversely affect the region, including Azerbaijan,” the political scientist said.

According to him, there are currently very strong conservatives in Iran and they are able to suppress any protests.

The political scientist suggested that there will be tensions in relations between Iran and Azerbaijan after that.

The latest increase in tension between Azerbaijan and Iran is associated with the protest of official Baku over the continued supply of goods by Iranian trucks to Karabakh without the knowledge of Azerbaijan. In response to this, Azerbaijan began to withdraw customs duties from Iranian drivers for entering the country and check the composition of cargo.

Against this background, Iran began military exercises near the borders with Azerbaijan, which Azerbaijan restored during the 44-day war. President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with the Turkish Anadolu agency that this is surprising, since Iran has not conducted military exercises in these territories for 30 years of occupation. –05D-