— 🇦🇿/🇦🇲 Azerbaijani Foreign Minister: We will establish the Zangezur corridor by ourselves [with force] if necessary

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇦🇿/🇦🇲 The Azerbaijani military urges its citizens not to distribute images of military movements towards the border

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇷/🇦🇿/🇦🇲 BREAKING: Iranian UAVs are monitoring the Azerbaijani - Armenian border near Syunik

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇦🇿/🇦🇲 BREAKING: All Armenian soldiers who are currently on leave have been ordered to report back to command posts

@Middl_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇷/🇦🇿/🇦🇲 NOTE: It is important to keep in mind that Iran is not Armenia's 'ally' in this conflict

Many news outlets like to spread the claim that Iran supports Armenia, and that if a wider war were to break out, the Islamic Republic would take Armenia's side.

On the contrary; in 2020 the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei stated the following:

"These lands [Karabakh] belong to Azerbaijan, which has every right over them. Territories seized by Armenia must be returned and liberated.

However, the security of Armenians who live in these lands must be secured. A war threatens the security of the region, and the issue must be solved diplomatically."

It is very clear from these statements that the official position of Iran is not one of support for Armenia, but rather one of tacit support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, although stressing the need for diplomacy.

Nevertheless, Iran has repeatedly made it clear that the internationally recognised borders are a red line for them, and that it will not allow Azerbaijan to establish the so-called Zangezur corridor, or to change the current borders of Armenia.

If this situation were to take place, and Iranian trade routes were compromised as a result, the Islamic Republic would most definitely intervene, as the Iran - Armenia border is instrumental in the flow of goods to and from Russia.

Not long ago, the IRGC and Artesh (regular military) of Iran held drills near the Azeri enclave of Nakhchivan in a show of force to the Baku regime, stressing that if their red line is crossed, they will intervene.

Iran has always had decent relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, so it makes sense for them to take a pragmatic and nuanced approach.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— One must also keep in mind that over 16% of Iran's population is ethnically Azeri, living in the North Western provinces of Iran

In fact, there are almost three times as many Azeris living in Iran than in the Republic of Azerbaijan itself.

Even if Iran wanted to support Armenia in a potential war against Azerbaijan, it couldn't, because the domestic backlash from the Azeri population would simply be too much to handle.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— Fun fact: Ayatollah Khamenei is actually half-Azeri himself, and speaks the language fluently

Here is a clip of him adressing the Azeri people of North-Western Iran in their native language, Azeri Turkish.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— Interesting results

Personally, I would probably choose 'neither', considering the complexity of the situation.

Some may have gotten the impression that I am pro-Azerbaijan, but I am not.

— 🇦🇿/🇦🇲 BREAKING: Reservists of the Republic of Azerbaijan Army are being called up at the military registration offices and sent to the front lines with Armenia

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇦🇿/🇦🇲 BREAKING: Armenia is rapidly concentrating its forces on the border with the Azeri enclave of Nakchivan

@Middle_East_Spectator

— The current state of Twitter / X

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇮🇷/🇫🇷 BREAKING: The Iranian Embassy in Paris was attacked by MEK / MKO supporters throwing molotov cocktails

The MKO is an exiled Iranian Communist-Marxist terrorist group and religious cult who have their HQ in France and Albania.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— I have created a discussion forum for the channel, just to try it out

You can join the group by clicking 'discuss' under the channel noscript.

If we like it, we might keep it.

— Dear subscribers,

If you are interested in politics of Syria & the Levant, make sure to subscribe to the channel of our dear friend!

https://news.1rj.ru/str/al_sham14041946

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