ColumnsTashjian's Take
What does the India-Iran Chabahar port deal mean for Armenia?
On May 13, 2024, Iran and India signed a historic deal under which New Delhi was granted the right to develop and operate the Iranian port of Chabahar on the Gulf of Oman. India has been eying this port for the past two decades to export goods to Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian countries and bypass the Ch
Or, subscribe now for unlimited access
By submitting your email address you agree for Hairenik Association, Inc. to send you communication by email.
Already a subscriber?Log in here
This story is FREE for you...
Create a free account to access this and four more articles, and get more sent to you with our e-newsletter.By submitting your email address you agree for Hairenik Association, Inc. to send you communication by email.
Belarus has a treaty with Russia whereby a section of the Port of St. Petersburg is deemed to be an extraterritorial part of Belarus, ie, Belarus Customs Officers work there and Belarussian goods are not subject to Russian ontrols and checks.
St. Petersburg is, consequently, a Belarussian port.
If Armenia can negotiate a similar treaty with Iran then that would be a massive boost to the Armenian economy as Armenia would have free access to the sea.
But for that to happen, Armenia must be ruled by men and not by a coward, a traitor and an incompetant like Pashinyan.
That’s linked to a customs Union normally Belarus and Russia have some degree of customs union. Currently Armenia tie in is with Russia so having one with Iran would interfere. Unfortunately due to US led economic attack on Iran, Armenia would find it difficult to extend it’s customs links with Iran without triggering such complications. Indeed owing to consideration about Armenia issues with Turkey and Azerbaijan the USA was understanding that Armenia links with Russia and Iran was driven by national survival not an anti US policy. Georgia to the black sea and Europe and Iran to the Indian Ocean and Asia.
That Azerbaijan might grab the so-called Zangezur Corridor (with Putin’s blessing and support in order to punish Pashinyan for his pro-Western foreign policy) and Armenia could lose its land and access to Iran, is a clear and present danger. That Pashinyan could even cede this Zangezur Corridor to Azerbaijan, cannot be ruled out. With a weak appeasing traitor like Pashinyan at the helm, anything is possible.
Furthermore, the future of Georgia is uncertain, if it abandons its pro-Western foreign policy, becomes authoritarian and turns to Russia, Armenia’s access to Georgia’s ports could become complicated. Russia, via Georgia, could apply pressure and even block access to Armenia.
A country’s national interests and foreign policy is like a long-term chess game which should be well planned and prepared in advance. But Pashinyan being reckless, short-sighted and stupid, tore up Armenia’s long-term national strategical interests and foreign policy, and replaced them with a chaotic and highly dangerous saving-the-day mentality, which is only about saving himself, not Armenia.
One did not have to be a political expert or a clairvoyant to see that Pashinyan emulating Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia and turning Armenia’s national and foreign policy upside down, would end in disaster for Armenia. That most of the Armenian electorate did not pay any attention to the disastrous consequences of Saakashvili’s rule in Georgia, and voted for the Armenian version of Saakashvili called Pashinyan not only once, but twice, after the Second Artsakh War, is tragic and mindboggling. As long as Pashinyan is at the helm, it is only going to get worse for Armenia, not better.