Political scientist: There is risk of Azerbaijan military operation in Armenia’s Syunik Province

The US declares that it will not let Iran enter the Caucasus, whereas the fact that Turkey is entering the Caucasus is in its interests. Arthur Khachikian, Doctor of Political Science at Stanford University, stated this on the air of Strength Factor program of Armenian News-NEWS.am.

"The US did not say anything when they [i.e. Azerbaijan] exterminated Armenians in Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], but they are interested in not having Iran and Russia in the Caucasus. The ‘Middle Corridor’ is not an economic issue, it is a politico-military issue. This is the issue that Turkey and Azerbaijan shall unite and we [i.e. Armenian] are hindering them [from this] and we need to disappear from here. They need to have a great Turkey, from Istanbul to Baku, which will be a member of NATO. That is, there will be a NATO fleet in the Black Sea, the Mediterranean and the Caspian Sea, which our Russian partners should think about. The goal of the West is for the Caucasus to be under the control of Turkey, Syunik [Province of Armenia] must gradually come out of Armenia's control, and this can be step by step. At first they will say, ‘Don't open it by force, but there must be some kind of corridor. Then there will be billions of [dollars of] investments from Turkey and Azerbaijan, then there will be businesses there,’" said Khachikian, adding that this is why the West is dragging Iran into the war.

"As a result of the escalation [of tension], there may be airstrikes against Iran already, about which the US has said. If there is a war against Iran, it will be Israel, the US, Great Britain, possibly France and Turkey. I don't know how Iran will resist such forces. Russia will not be able to help Iran in this situation," Khachikian emphasized.

The political scientist continued that in case of such a war against Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan will say to the West: “We want to help you. For that, the goods should come uninhibitedly from Turkey to Azerbaijan so that we use it against Iran.”

"Under some pretext, they will make it so that the world will turn a blind eye and they can take Syunik with one strike. The power potential of Turkey and Azerbaijan is gradually increasing, ours [i.e. Armenia] is decreasing. The situation around us is becoming increasingly more unstable. We had had two potential allies: Russia and Iran; we don't have stable relations with either of them. Yes, there is a risk that there will be some kind of [Azerbaijani] military operation in the south of Armenia—in Syunik, and the world will turn a blind eye [to it], as usual," Khachikian stressed.