(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 24. Iran tried to keep
secret its political, military and economic support for Armenia
before the 2020 second Karabakh war. However, after the war, it
began to exercise this support defiantly. The mullah regime
supplies Yerevan with weapons for free, calls the borders of
Armenia its "red line", opened a consulate in this country, and
released a video with threats against Azerbaijan.
Hypocrisy of Tehran
Over the past two weeks, Iran's support for Armenia and
threatening behavior towards Azerbaijan has intensified. On March
11, an Iranian military aircraft continuously flew along the
Azerbaijani-Iranian state border, from the direction of
Azerbaijan's Zangilan district to the Bilasuvar district and back,
and the Iranian Ambassador Seyyed Abbas Mousavi was given a note of
protest in this regard.
Despite this, Tehran continued its provocative steps in a
different form. For several days now, telegram channels associated
with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been
threatening Azerbaijan with big war.
The latest threatening video published by media structures close
to the IRGC has reflected an UAV attack across the Araz river on
Azerbaijan, and it was also reported that due to tension on the
northwestern borders of Iran, the combat readiness of the air
defense unit and missile troops of IRGC has been increased.
Moreover, information has spread that Armenia has opened its
airspace to allow Iranian UAVs monitor and collect data.
Iran provides Armenia with not only military but also political
support. In this context, the visit of Iranian Deputy Foreign
Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani at a time when
Tehran's threats against Baku are intensifying to Armenia, is
especially indicative.
Iran, which didn't object to the deployment of the European
Union mission in the region, sent a message through Kani that only
the countries of the region are the guarantor of security in the
region. At the same time, Kani "didn't see" that the EU mission has
no representative of the region countries.
The mission was organized by the military, intelligence officers
of Western states that crippled Iran with sanctions. As it's seen,
the hypocritical Iranian authorities over time increase both the
dose of support for Armenia and the threatening rhetoric against
Azerbaijan.
What is the aim of the mullah regime?
The new realities that have emerged in the region after the
second Karabakh war worries Tehran. At present, the issue of the
Zangazur corridor is on the main agenda in the region, and
Azerbaijan is demonstrating a firm position on this issue.
In parallel, Tehran is losing its religious, economic and
political influence in the region. Iran's loss of influence both in
the South Caucasus and in other regions infuriates the IRGC and
other military-political structures of the regime because the
mullahs considered themselves the masters of the region for many
years.
The regime is looking for external enemies, and has directed its
military-political resources against the interests of
Azerbaijan.
Avoiding a direct military clash with Azerbaijan, the regime
arms Armenia, which is hostile to Azerbaijan, and provides Yerevan
with comprehensive support, aiming to distract Azerbaijan from its
tasks, using Armenia as a tool, and to impede the implementation of
the Zangazur corridor project.
The proof of this is that in recent days Iran has been
increasing its military-political support to Armenia. Apparently,
in the event of another military clash between Azerbaijan and
Armenia, Iran wants to openly intervene on the side of Yerevan.
The course of events is showing that Iran is rapidly losing
power in the region and the situation inside the country hasn't
been much better.
The protests and the splits
It's known that Iran has been under international sanctions for
many years because of its nuclear program. In recent months, it has
come under even more pressure also because of the supply of UAVs to
Moscow. Their deliveries to Moscow during the armed conflict
between Russia and Ukraine reduced Iran's image even further.
Mullah regime is facing new sanctions. As a result, the economic
situation inside the country has deteriorated further in recent
years. The population has been holding rallies against the regime
for several months, demanding a change in political power.
As the protests continue, there is a serious split within the
mullahs' regime. At the center of the split is the IRGC
(paramilitary structure subordinate directly to Iran's Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei) - the stronghold of the regime. The 44-page
document, published by the Iran International website, reflects the
degree of tensions within the regime. It got to the point where a
group of IRGC generals planned to assassinate Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. However, on March 17, their plan was
revealed.
The IRGC generals are appointed not by president of Iran, but by
Khamenei. These generals are brutally suppressing protests across
the country on direct instructions from Khamenei. Due to this, in
most cities in Iran, the headquarters of the IRGC are the main
target of the protesters. Apparently, tensions within the regime
have risen to such an extent that the generals who have been
appointed by Khamenei are trying to assassinate him.
The split within the IRGC is a serious signal for the Iranian
authorities, because this structure owns significant financial
resources, large banks and real estate, controlling nearly half of
Iran's economy.
It can be assumed that not all the generals of the IRGC, who
were preparing an assassination attempt on Ali Khamenei, were
exposed, and they may make new attempts to seize power.
View from Baku
Baku is closely following both the internal situation in Iran
and its military-political steps towards Azerbaijan, and all
provocative actions of Iran will be given an adequate response.
Baku regulates its steps in accordance with international law and
trilateral statements [signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian
leaders following the second Karabakh war], and Azerbaijan's
demands on Armenia are also related to its obligations.
Therefore, if Tehran intervenes, Azerbaijan will be fully
supported by the allies of the country.
The course of events shows that both situation inside and
outside of Iran puts more and more pressure on the ruling mullahs.
Moreover, a possible military confrontation with Azerbaijan will be
the end of the regime.