Tensions between Tehran and Baku are spiraling into dangerous territory. Don’t be fooled by public messages of support for each other on the anniversary of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev is called a “political dwarf” in a scathing op-ed written for a magazine linked to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by university lecturer and diplomat Ehsan Mobahedian. Mobahidian slaps Iranian neighbor leader by outlining extensive details of previous offenses suspected of being a gambling enthusiast.
Tehran and Baku are increasingly annoyed with each other over the long history and status of the region of Iran dominated by a de facto Azerbaijani minority, and the debate over the trade corridor Azerbaijan wants to establish across Armenian territory parallel to the Iranian border. The corridor could pose some obstacles for Iranian traders accessing across Georgia and Russia via Armenia. It would also increase Azerbaijan’s influence over what Iran sees as its backyard.
Tehran says Baku is fueling sectarian tensions in Iran’s predominantly Azerbaijani ethnic region in cities like Ardabil and Tabriz during eight weeks of nationwide anti-regime protests Iran has endured. Iran has launched verbal attacks against Azerbaijan for what it perceives.For example, Iran claims a one-man murderous attack on a shrine in Shiraz during protests was claimed by a regional branch of IS. Since then, they have claimed to have been directed from Baku, and security officials have said they were among the attackers of a terrorist team. The ones behind the atrocities flew in from Heydar Aliyev Airport.
Centuries ago, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Dagestan were once the northern extremities of the Safavid dynasty, before Russia invaded the tiny state of former Qajar Iran. But the incompetence of historical proportions displayed by Iran’s Qajar king of Azerbaijan and the upward-moving Russian czar empire meant devouring territory. The border was eventually moved back to the Arras River and remains there today. Iran was upset when it had to sign a humiliating treaty between Turkmenchay and Golestan.
To this day, Iranians of all kinds groan about how stupid the Qajars were to lose their territory. But Iran’s northern neighbors, the Azerbaijanis, do not see themselves as “Iranians” despite their reluctant acknowledgment of their historical ties to Iran. years of intervening Russian and Soviet rule.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the three countries now called the South Caucasus sought independence from Moscow. Since then, until relatively recently, they were not much thought in the minds of Iranians. As it seeks to protect itself, much of Tehran’s influence and attention has shifted north. This northern strategic trajectory has rekindled fascination among many of the Caucasus nations as the words “Turkmenchay” and “Golestan” are baked into their subconscious. There have been many changes in between.
Nosy story
A cohort of Iranians, growing from liberals and conservatives, from Islamic Republicans to Loyalists in Los Angeles, explodes in rage when talk of interfering with Iran’s modern borders comes up. Azerbaijan, with a population of 10 million, may not seem like a direct threat to its larger neighbors, but the small country in the north provokes a sense of security among many within Iran’s security forces. have succeeded in Deal with weeks of protests that continue to shake power.
Azerbaijan and its “brotherly ally” Turkey have on several occasions hinted at reuniting what they see as a fragmented part of the Turkish world within Persia-Iran. Iran constantly talks about the “breakaway” countries in the north “playing with the lion’s tail,” a reference to Iran’s royal imperial past.
In his article, and later in an IRIB TV interview, Mobahedian said that Azerbaijani leader Aliyev was “cursing” Iran during the live broadcast of the war anniversary event in Shusha, Nagorno-Karabakh.
Aliyev’s words mentioned by Mobahedian, bearing in mind the recent Iranian war games on the border with Azerbaijan, were delivered by the Azerbaijani leader at an event on Nov. and those conducting military exercises to assist Armenia on the border should also know this. No one can scare us. “
“Aliyev this time took a risky gamble and tacitly threatened Iran with military strikes,” the diplomat wrote.
“A constant losing gambler, he forgets that when he was young and had no money, he lost $2 million to a gambling house in Istanbul and even Nekmettin Erbakan. [the former Turkish prime minister] refused to help him. Iran came to his aid. “
Movahedian said the Aliyev family, including Ilham Aliyev’s late father and former president Heydar Aliyev, did not “appreciate” the love and generosity of the Islamic Republic of Iran and “would forget it if it weren’t for Iran’s help.” It concludes. In the First Karabakh War, Armenia would have advanced to Baku. “
“They would all have returned to Tabriz as refugees,” Mobahedian continued.
Mr. Mobahedian continues to say, in a completely bizarre claim, that the young Mr. Aliyev had no money and had to pay for a suit made for him in Tehran. He then accused the Azerbaijani army of being weak compared to the Iranian “flood” and said it would cost Tehran less than $100,000 to invade and occupy Baku.
In his final impassioned statement, Mobahedian said, “Aliev opened the gates of hell with his childish and rude behavior,” and dark days await him. tells how Iran’s 2001 military response to defend its interests in the Caspian Sea could be repeated on a much larger scale Azerbaijan claimed; by then, the ailing Heydar Aliyev was too ill to respond.)
This is not the first time Iran has turned against Azerbaijan. As time went on and tensions between the two capitals continued to wane, Tehran’s clerical leaders made other startling statements.
“Heydar Aliyev was from the KGB. He told us that he was a KGB spy in Tehran, washes shoes in a corner of Tehran, and was a shoe shine specialist. I wanted to show that I know Tehran and Iran very well, last October.
