Zangezur Corridor Obstructs Strategic Relations Between Iran and Russia
The recent stance of senior Russian officials following Vladimir Putin’s visit to Baku regarding the Zangezur communication route in the South Caucasus region has once again intensified discussions about Russia’s approach to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The issue began when, after Ukraine’s attack on Russian soil, capturing some of its cities and changing the field conditions in the war, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, for the first time since the start of the war with Ukraine, made a two-day visit to Azerbaijan to explore ways to expand strategic cooperation and alliances between Azerbaijan and Russia. During this visit, Putin, along with some other agreements, also raised issues regarding the Zangezur Corridor. Shortly after this trip, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, announced that Moscow supports the swift conclusion of a peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan and the unblocking of the communication route.
Although after this stance, which openly threatened Iran’s national interests, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic summoned the Russian ambassador in Tehran and conveyed Iran’s protest to this so-called strategic partner, the Russians not only did not retract this decision but merely stated that Moscow takes Tehran’s concerns into consideration and emphasized that Moscow’s position on the Zangezur Corridor is entirely firm. The only thing they intend to do is to contact Iran for clarification. In other words, informing Iran that the decision has been made and that Iranian officials have no choice but to accept it.
Such a stance from Moscow comes at a time when the final text of the comprehensive strategic cooperation document between the two countries is ready for signing, and both countries are preparing to finalize it. However, it seems that Russia’s understanding of strategic relations differs from Iran’s understanding of such relations, and the officials of this country recognize no limitations or red lines other than their own national interests and security. According to scientific texts, strategic relations require the existence or observance of certain obligations and elements. The necessity of having strategic interests and goals in overlapping areas, the existence of a rival enemy or a common threat, an understanding of the international system and the rules of engagement within it, and the presence of political will in leaders are some of these elements.
Nevertheless, it seems Russia, by supporting the Zangezur Corridor, has undermined most of these strategic cooperation elements. Firstly, the opening of the Zangezur Corridor is an action entirely against the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but currently beneficial to Russia. With the opening of this corridor, Iran’s strategic connection with Europe will be severed, and Iran will not have control over this route, naturally losing the right to transit goods. Furthermore, the establishment of the Zangezur Corridor reduces Iran’s neighbors from 15 to 14 countries, consequently affecting Iran’s strategic interests and geopolitical significance in the region. However, this communication route helps Moscow circumvent sanctions during the period of European sanctions against Russia. On the other hand, the developments in Ukraine have changed Russia’s position in the South Caucasus, and Moscow seeks to extend its influence in Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, a goal that is realized through the Zangezur Corridor. Therefore, the strategic interests and objectives of Iran and Russia in this matter are not only different but conflicting.
The existence of a rival enemy or a common threat is another factor of strategic relations. Although in recent years, Russia and Iran have been united in their enmity with Western countries, with the new president coming to power in Iran and his announcements about managing tensions with the West, Russian officials have concluded that they need to take action to open new fronts before any action by Iran and show Tehran that they can change the entire regional equation against Iran with just one meeting and a few calls. Russia’s insistence on creating the Zangezur Corridor is essentially a gift that Putin is giving to Iran’s regional rivals, namely Turkey and Azerbaijan, because Turkey can transport its goods to Azerbaijan via Zangezur and through the Caspian Sea to Central Asia, and Azerbaijan finds a direct route towards European countries.
The existence of an understanding regarding the international system and the rules of engagement within it is another element of strategic cooperation. Although both Iran and Russia have a revisionist approach towards the Western rules of the international system and desire their roles in the international system to be recognized, Russia’s revisionism is within the system’s framework, whereas Iran’s revisionism is anti-systemic.
Russia, as a country pursuing the identity of a great power, has never sought to step aside from managing global crises and issues, and in this context, whenever necessary, it has aligned with Western countries and supported international multilateral sanctions against Iran. Now, as Western countries, in the form of NATO, are supporting Ukraine, Russia, while benefiting from Iran’s assistance, has not put all its eggs in our country’s basket and, utilizing its power elements, plays various cards to manage the Ukraine crisis, some of which, like the Zangezur Corridor, are entirely detrimental to Iran.
Regarding the existence of political will in leaders, it seems that given the difference in power levels between Iran and Russia, the Kremlin has no will to elevate its relations with Tehran to the level of strategic relations and prefers to keep the relationship with Iran at the current interest-based level. In fact, Russia, as a great power on a global scale, sees its hand open to play with regional actors like Iran according to its interests at any time and change regional equations according to its desires. Unfortunately, the numerous issues and imbalance that the Islamic Republic of Iran has had in its foreign policy in recent years have enabled this type of exploitation by Russia.
Based on this, it seems that the relations between Iran and Russia are not of the strategic cooperation type but rather more of a forced or cautious cooperation to deal with temporary crises and merely contain elements of strategic relations. This issue is a bitter reality that can also have dangerous consequences in foreign policy because one of the important conditions for successful international engagement and ensuring national interests and security is having multiple strategic allies. Therefore, measures should be taken to ensure that Russia moves beyond this opportunistic level of relations and commits itself to creating a stable and strategic relationship with Iran. To achieve this goal and elevate relations with Russia to a strategic level, Iran must attain a level of power in the region that compels Russia to negotiate and reach an understanding with the Islamic Republic for its entry into regional issues and its role in West Asia, and consequently, its international credibility and status. Undoubtedly, establishing balance in foreign policy and Iran’s benefit from various options to advance its goals and interests will be a positive and effective step in this regard.