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IRAN, ARMENIA FIND SOLIDARITY IN ISOLATION
Voice of America
March 12 2013
By James Brooke
12 March 2013
YEREVAN - While the West seeks to isolate Iran over its disputed
nuclear program, landlocked Armenia seeks to build relations with
its neighbor -- without violating international sanctions.
In all of Christian Armenia, there is only one mosque: "The Iranian
Mosque," restored 15 years ago by Iran.
The mosque offers classes in Persian and is an essential landmark for
visiting Iranian VIPS, like Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He
came to Yerevan 15 months ago to meet with Armenia's President Serj
Sarkisyan.
The West seeks to isolate Iran, believing its nuclear program is being
used to build a nuclear bomb. Iran denies the charge. But Armenia
is positioned between two historic enemies -- Turkey to the west and
Azerbaijan to the east. Armenia has no trade or diplomatic ties with
the two nations. Instead, it trades north with its Christian neighbor,
Georgia. Now it is trying to expand trade and investment to the south,
with Iran.
"Armenia is the only neighbor of Iran where the regime or the
government in Iran feels quite comfortable, and is actually keen to
increase relations," says Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional
Studies Center, a Yerevan think tank. "From the Armenian perspective,
there is a shared sense of isolation, where both Iran and Armenia feel
surrounded by either hostile or rival states and feel under blockade
or sanctions."
Looking for alternatives
Iran and Armenia are linked by a narrow border -- a 35-kilometer long
stretch of the Aras River.
A two lane mountain road links Armenia with Iran, a nation with an
economy and a territory about 50 times the size of Armenia's.
With the highway slow and often dangerous, Armenians look for
alternatives.
Iran expert Gohar Iskandaryan says a top priority is to extend
Armenia's Soviet-era railroad south.
"Once Armenia can find investments, we can connect our railway to
the Iranian rail network and have access to the Indian Ocean and
the Persian Gulf," says Iskandaryan, an Iran expert at the National
Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
One bright spot
Six years ago, Armenians started to heat their homes with gas coming
through a new pipeline from Iran. Now Armenia wants to build an oil
pipeline from Iran and two hydroelectric power plants on their shared
river border.
But Iskandaryan says sanctions over Iran's nuclear program could
block funding for these projects.
"This is not only Armenia's choice," she says. "It's an issue for
the big powers -- the United States and Russia."
While sanctions have hurt Iran's economy and cut trade with Armenia,
Giragosian sees one bright spot.
"The Iranian government has actually banned the import of luxury
items which includes laptops, makeup and cosmetic products, to even
chocolate," said the think tank director. "Therefore, it will only
encourage the rise or emergence of somewhat of a black market where
Iranians coming to Armenia for tourism purposes begin to start to
acquire these now-prohibited consumer items." Some Iranian tourists
to Armenia are looking for more than lipstick.
Arayik Vardanyan, executive director of Armenia's Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, says they are buying apartments. "Many Iranians are
coming," says Vardanyan. "And that could mean that they are searching
in advance for places they can leave to if war breaks out."
The ebb and flow between Iranians and Armenians goes back almost
3,000 years to the construction of Erebuni, a hilltop fortress that
gave its name to Yerevan. If modern-day leaders have their way,
these two ancient neighbors will continue trading and visiting,
paying little heed to the outside world.
James Brooke A foreign correspondent who has reported from five
continents, Brooke, known universally as Jim, is the Voice of America
bureau chief for Russia and former Soviet Union countries. From his
base in Moscow, Jim roams Russia and Russia's southern neighbors.
http://www.voanews.com/content/iran-armenia-find-solidarity-in-isolation/1619833.html
Voice of America
March 12 2013
By James Brooke
12 March 2013
YEREVAN - While the West seeks to isolate Iran over its disputed
nuclear program, landlocked Armenia seeks to build relations with
its neighbor -- without violating international sanctions.
In all of Christian Armenia, there is only one mosque: "The Iranian
Mosque," restored 15 years ago by Iran.
The mosque offers classes in Persian and is an essential landmark for
visiting Iranian VIPS, like Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He
came to Yerevan 15 months ago to meet with Armenia's President Serj
Sarkisyan.
The West seeks to isolate Iran, believing its nuclear program is being
used to build a nuclear bomb. Iran denies the charge. But Armenia
is positioned between two historic enemies -- Turkey to the west and
Azerbaijan to the east. Armenia has no trade or diplomatic ties with
the two nations. Instead, it trades north with its Christian neighbor,
Georgia. Now it is trying to expand trade and investment to the south,
with Iran.
"Armenia is the only neighbor of Iran where the regime or the
government in Iran feels quite comfortable, and is actually keen to
increase relations," says Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional
Studies Center, a Yerevan think tank. "From the Armenian perspective,
there is a shared sense of isolation, where both Iran and Armenia feel
surrounded by either hostile or rival states and feel under blockade
or sanctions."
Looking for alternatives
Iran and Armenia are linked by a narrow border -- a 35-kilometer long
stretch of the Aras River.
A two lane mountain road links Armenia with Iran, a nation with an
economy and a territory about 50 times the size of Armenia's.
With the highway slow and often dangerous, Armenians look for
alternatives.
Iran expert Gohar Iskandaryan says a top priority is to extend
Armenia's Soviet-era railroad south.
"Once Armenia can find investments, we can connect our railway to
the Iranian rail network and have access to the Indian Ocean and
the Persian Gulf," says Iskandaryan, an Iran expert at the National
Academy of Sciences of Armenia.
One bright spot
Six years ago, Armenians started to heat their homes with gas coming
through a new pipeline from Iran. Now Armenia wants to build an oil
pipeline from Iran and two hydroelectric power plants on their shared
river border.
But Iskandaryan says sanctions over Iran's nuclear program could
block funding for these projects.
"This is not only Armenia's choice," she says. "It's an issue for
the big powers -- the United States and Russia."
While sanctions have hurt Iran's economy and cut trade with Armenia,
Giragosian sees one bright spot.
"The Iranian government has actually banned the import of luxury
items which includes laptops, makeup and cosmetic products, to even
chocolate," said the think tank director. "Therefore, it will only
encourage the rise or emergence of somewhat of a black market where
Iranians coming to Armenia for tourism purposes begin to start to
acquire these now-prohibited consumer items." Some Iranian tourists
to Armenia are looking for more than lipstick.
Arayik Vardanyan, executive director of Armenia's Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, says they are buying apartments. "Many Iranians are
coming," says Vardanyan. "And that could mean that they are searching
in advance for places they can leave to if war breaks out."
The ebb and flow between Iranians and Armenians goes back almost
3,000 years to the construction of Erebuni, a hilltop fortress that
gave its name to Yerevan. If modern-day leaders have their way,
these two ancient neighbors will continue trading and visiting,
paying little heed to the outside world.
James Brooke A foreign correspondent who has reported from five
continents, Brooke, known universally as Jim, is the Voice of America
bureau chief for Russia and former Soviet Union countries. From his
base in Moscow, Jim roams Russia and Russia's southern neighbors.
http://www.voanews.com/content/iran-armenia-find-solidarity-in-isolation/1619833.html