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IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF ARMED CONFLICT BETWEEN IRAN AND AZERBAIJAN IN CASPIAN SEA?
11:31 28/03/2013 " INTERVIEWS
Panorama.am held an interview with Iranian studies expert Armen
Israyelyan about the dispute between Iran and Azerbaijan over the
legal status of the Caspian Sea and the possibility of armed conflict
between them.
- What is the main cause of the dispute between Iran and Azerbaijan
over the legal status of the Caspian Sea?
- The point is that under an agreement signed between Iran and the USSR
in 1921, the Soviet government gratuitously passed Ashurade island
and other islands in the Caspian Sea to Iran as well as recognized
Iran's right to have fleet in the Caspian Sea.
In recent years, there is an impression that Russia reached an
agreement with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan on the legal status, but Iran,
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan still have certain disagreements.
Iran believes that the sea should be divided into five equal parts,
and rules out discussion of any other option.
- So does it mean that this is purely a legal issue?
- No, besides legal issues, there are certain disagreements over
environmental issues and ownership of oil fields in the Caspian Sea.
Iranian Vice President, President of the Environmental Protection
Organization Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh has repeatedly accused
Azerbaijan of environmental violation in the Caspian Sea. Also,
Iran has decided to file a complaint with international bodies
against Azerbaijan.
Besides, Azerbaijan, for its part, profits from the fact that the issue
of the legal status of the Caspian Sea remains unresolved, alleging
that Sardar-e Jangal oil field discovered by Iran does not belong to
Iran but is located in waters between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
- Could these disputes lead to armed conflict?
- I do not rule out the possibility of armed conflict. Although
the Caspian states say that they view the Caspian Sea as a field of
peaceful cooperation, nevertheless, the current processes testify to
the opposite.
The point is that Baku states that the military equipment purchased
from Israel will be used against Armenia. But expert studies show
that Azerbaijan's anti-ship rockets will be used against Iran and
Turkmenistan because Armenia has no outlet to sea.
So I think Iran recently launched Jamaran 2 destroyer in the Caspian
Sea for the very purpose of protecting the borders of Iran from
potential danger from Azerbaijan.
Source: Panorama.am
11:31 28/03/2013 " INTERVIEWS
Panorama.am held an interview with Iranian studies expert Armen
Israyelyan about the dispute between Iran and Azerbaijan over the
legal status of the Caspian Sea and the possibility of armed conflict
between them.
- What is the main cause of the dispute between Iran and Azerbaijan
over the legal status of the Caspian Sea?
- The point is that under an agreement signed between Iran and the USSR
in 1921, the Soviet government gratuitously passed Ashurade island
and other islands in the Caspian Sea to Iran as well as recognized
Iran's right to have fleet in the Caspian Sea.
In recent years, there is an impression that Russia reached an
agreement with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan on the legal status, but Iran,
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan still have certain disagreements.
Iran believes that the sea should be divided into five equal parts,
and rules out discussion of any other option.
- So does it mean that this is purely a legal issue?
- No, besides legal issues, there are certain disagreements over
environmental issues and ownership of oil fields in the Caspian Sea.
Iranian Vice President, President of the Environmental Protection
Organization Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh has repeatedly accused
Azerbaijan of environmental violation in the Caspian Sea. Also,
Iran has decided to file a complaint with international bodies
against Azerbaijan.
Besides, Azerbaijan, for its part, profits from the fact that the issue
of the legal status of the Caspian Sea remains unresolved, alleging
that Sardar-e Jangal oil field discovered by Iran does not belong to
Iran but is located in waters between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
- Could these disputes lead to armed conflict?
- I do not rule out the possibility of armed conflict. Although
the Caspian states say that they view the Caspian Sea as a field of
peaceful cooperation, nevertheless, the current processes testify to
the opposite.
The point is that Baku states that the military equipment purchased
from Israel will be used against Armenia. But expert studies show
that Azerbaijan's anti-ship rockets will be used against Iran and
Turkmenistan because Armenia has no outlet to sea.
So I think Iran recently launched Jamaran 2 destroyer in the Caspian
Sea for the very purpose of protecting the borders of Iran from
potential danger from Azerbaijan.
Source: Panorama.am