Tehran, IRNA – Last week, sometime after the last round of military conflicts between the republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Israel’s Minister of Defense Benny Gantz traveled to Baku and met and talked with President Elham Aliyev and Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan Zakir Hasanov. Although Gantz’s office issued a notice announcing the purpose of this trip as “security and diplomatic matters”, it seems that other motives are involved in Gantz’ trip to Baku.
Since the beginning of the first Nagorno-Karabakh war, the Republic of Azerbaijan was one of the main buyers of weapons from the occupying regime in Palestine, which bought anti-tank missiles of the type “Spike-AR” and “Spike-LR” from the Israeli company “Rafael” and received mortars. Caliber 120 mm is from the “Albite System” company of Israel. Since 2010, the Republic of Azerbaijan has purchased “Spike” type anti-tank missiles from Tel Aviv and purchased Israeli drones at different times. These weapons have been used many times against the Armenian army and people in the Nagorno-Karabakh war. Although Israel is one of the most important suppliers of weapons to the Republic of Azerbaijan, the purpose of Gantz’s visit to Baku cannot be simply to sell more weapons.
In the statement of Gantz’s office, one of the objectives of the trip to Baku is to discuss the changes in the Middle East after the signing of the compromise agreement known as the Abraham Accord, including the development of Tel Aviv’s relations with Ankara. With this description, the future of Israel’s relations with Turkey and the presence and participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in this process could also be one of the focal points of the negotiations between Tel Aviv and Baku during this trip. Dealing with Armenia and Russia’s isolation in the Caucasus and helping to stabilize Baku’s position for the possible occupation of some areas of Syunik Province of Armenia under the pretext of opening the transit corridor can also be considered as one of the axes of Baku’s negotiations.
The records show that the Zionist regime is one of the main factors behind the tension in Karabakh and is trying to keep the fire of war alive and trying to change the geopolitics of the region in the direction of its interests. It seems that the main purpose of the visit of the minister of defense of Israel to the Republic of Azerbaijan on behalf of Turkey is to provoke Baku to attack the Syunik Province of Armenia. Meanwhile, the Zionist regime secretly negotiates with Nikol Pashinyan’s government to improve its relations with Armenia in a hypocritical act.
At this point, the Azerbaijani authorities should be careful of Israel’s warmongering provocations and not expose themselves to a new war in the Caucasus. According to the Islamic Republic of Iran, negotiation is the only solution to the differences between Baku and Yerevan, and changing the official borders in the Caucasus will cause new security threats. The telephone conversation of Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of the general staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, with General Zakir Hasanev, the minister of defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the emphasis on the need for a peaceful solution to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia can be analyzed in this regard.
This conversation, which focused on the recent conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, is of particular importance, and due to the action of the Azerbaijani forces in occupying the heights of Jermuk, which is located near the border of Iran and Armenia, it was necessary for Iran to maintain its principled position in the field of non-acceptance of any changes of the borders in the South Caucasus, including the common borders between Iran and Armenia, should be reminded to the minister of defense of Azerbaijan.
At the same time, Major General Bagheri’s emphasis on the need for a peaceful settlement of the conflict between Baku and Yerevan is also a sign of Iran’s interest in establishing peace, stability, and security in the region, under the shadow of which friendships will be strengthened and effective economic cooperation will be formed.
The position of the minister of defense of Azerbaijan in this conversation that Baku has no interest in the territory of Armenia and that the problems between Armenia and Azerbaijan can be solved through dialog and friendship, and also that there is no intention of military operations to occupy the territory of Armenia is a positive position, whose implementation will neutralize the provocation of the Zionist regime in the Caucasus, including creating disruptions in the relations between Tehran and Baku.
Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA
