Tweet
WHY ARMENIA DID NOT OPERATE IRAN-ARMENIA
Nano Arghutyan
Lragir.am
18:02:58 - 14/01/2009
Controversial information comes from neighboring Iran which has a
short border with Armenia and a long border with Karabakh. The most
interesting part is perhaps that connected with the escalation of the
Israel-Palestinian conflict. Most experts thought that the military
action of Israel is aimed not only at the neutralization of Hamas but
also the involvement of Iran in the war, which illegally supports
this organization. In this connection, information on the military
action in Gaza was accompanied with information like "Iran promised
to raze Israel to the ground", "in Tehran young men say ready to
participate in the third Intifada", and so on. At the same time,
the spiritual leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Sayyed Ali
Khamenei barred Iranian volunteers who wish to join the Palestinian
movement of confrontation in the Gaza area from leaving the country
to fight against Israel. "I am grateful to our pious and active young
people who wish to go to the Gaza area (for the war with Israel),
but it should be taken into consideration that our hands are tied,"
Ayatollah Khamenei announced in his address to the people of Kuma,
the Shiite religious center of Iran.
The U.S. president elect Barack Obama who will be inaugurated on
January 20 stated that the relations between the United States and
Iran must be revised. Although in his good-bye press conference the
leaving president of the United States George Bush again referred
to Iran as a source of threat to the United States, obviously after
Obama's inauguration the Iranian issue will stop being a cornerstone
of the U.S. foreign policies.
The relations between Iran and the United States determine the
relations of other countries with Tehran in the past years. Even the
neighboring countries set up relations with Iran with their eyes on
the United States.
The United States decided whom to "allow" and whom to forbid making
friends with Iran. Armenia was allowed, for otherwise the United
States would have to admit that Armenia is in complete international
isolation.
Strangely Russia would not allow Armenia and Iran to be friends. For
instance, the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline built in a record time (it is
said to be financed from Western sources) was immediately seized by
Moscow. The pipeline is still empty. Moreover, the Russians stated that
the Iranian pipe will be empty as long as there is Russian gas. The
Russians did not give money for the construction of the railway
Iran-Armenia, explaining that it is not feasible. The United States
did not give money either but judging by the logic of developments,
it is not ruled out that soon the United States will say likely to
fund this project.
In the meantime, yesterday the head of=2 0the staff of Armenia Karen
Karapetyan met with the ambassador of Iran to Armenia Seyid Ali
Saghayani. Karen Karapetyan underscored the energy programs, as well
as the construction of the railway Iran-Armenia and the construction
of joint water power plants on the river Arax.
The interlocutors underlined that the rates of trade between these
countries are not high although there is possibility and resource for
their growth, and these problems must be in the focus of the joint
commission on economic cooperation.
Although Armenia did not use the chance to operate the gas pipeline
Iran-Armenia when the transit of the Russian gas via Georgia to Armenia
was interrupted, it does not mean that it will not use the next chance.
Nano Arghutyan
Lragir.am
18:02:58 - 14/01/2009
Controversial information comes from neighboring Iran which has a
short border with Armenia and a long border with Karabakh. The most
interesting part is perhaps that connected with the escalation of the
Israel-Palestinian conflict. Most experts thought that the military
action of Israel is aimed not only at the neutralization of Hamas but
also the involvement of Iran in the war, which illegally supports
this organization. In this connection, information on the military
action in Gaza was accompanied with information like "Iran promised
to raze Israel to the ground", "in Tehran young men say ready to
participate in the third Intifada", and so on. At the same time,
the spiritual leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Sayyed Ali
Khamenei barred Iranian volunteers who wish to join the Palestinian
movement of confrontation in the Gaza area from leaving the country
to fight against Israel. "I am grateful to our pious and active young
people who wish to go to the Gaza area (for the war with Israel),
but it should be taken into consideration that our hands are tied,"
Ayatollah Khamenei announced in his address to the people of Kuma,
the Shiite religious center of Iran.
The U.S. president elect Barack Obama who will be inaugurated on
January 20 stated that the relations between the United States and
Iran must be revised. Although in his good-bye press conference the
leaving president of the United States George Bush again referred
to Iran as a source of threat to the United States, obviously after
Obama's inauguration the Iranian issue will stop being a cornerstone
of the U.S. foreign policies.
The relations between Iran and the United States determine the
relations of other countries with Tehran in the past years. Even the
neighboring countries set up relations with Iran with their eyes on
the United States.
The United States decided whom to "allow" and whom to forbid making
friends with Iran. Armenia was allowed, for otherwise the United
States would have to admit that Armenia is in complete international
isolation.
Strangely Russia would not allow Armenia and Iran to be friends. For
instance, the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline built in a record time (it is
said to be financed from Western sources) was immediately seized by
Moscow. The pipeline is still empty. Moreover, the Russians stated that
the Iranian pipe will be empty as long as there is Russian gas. The
Russians did not give money for the construction of the railway
Iran-Armenia, explaining that it is not feasible. The United States
did not give money either but judging by the logic of developments,
it is not ruled out that soon the United States will say likely to
fund this project.
In the meantime, yesterday the head of=2 0the staff of Armenia Karen
Karapetyan met with the ambassador of Iran to Armenia Seyid Ali
Saghayani. Karen Karapetyan underscored the energy programs, as well
as the construction of the railway Iran-Armenia and the construction
of joint water power plants on the river Arax.
The interlocutors underlined that the rates of trade between these
countries are not high although there is possibility and resource for
their growth, and these problems must be in the focus of the joint
commission on economic cooperation.
Although Armenia did not use the chance to operate the gas pipeline
Iran-Armenia when the transit of the Russian gas via Georgia to Armenia
was interrupted, it does not mean that it will not use the next chance.