Меню
  • $ 88.21 +0.04
  • 91.91 +0.08
  • ¥ 12.11 -0.11

Armenia buddies up with Israel: What will Iran say?

Collage: EADaily.com

Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian’s recent visit to Israel has given experts grounds for forecasting a breakthrough in the Armenian-Israeli relations.

But the key problem here is that this breakthrough may damage Armenia’s ties with Iran. For the Iranians, Israel is the biggest enemy in the region and one of the biggest obstacles in their relations with Azerbaijan.

▼ читать продолжение новости ▼

Through scandals and diplomatic protests

Nalbandian visited Israel on the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to official sources, the sides expressed commitment to enlarge their contacts but there is no information about any specific documents signed. So, we can qualify this as a reconnaissance visit – similar to the July visit of Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister Tsachi Hanegbi to Yerevan.

During that visit, the sides signed two documents: a visa waiver for diplomats and a convention on avoidance of double taxation of incomes and property. A Knesset delegation visited Yerevan shortly afterwards.

▼ читать продолжение новости ▼

Armenian-Israeli relations came into the spotlight after the April 2016 war in Nagorno-Karabakh, when the Azerbaijanis actively used Israeli kamikaze drones.

The Armenians were displeased to know that the Azerbaijanis had a lot of Israeli arms in stock and even warned the Israelis that they might provide the Iranians with information about their shot-down Israeli drones. Armenia’s Ambassador to Egypt Armen Melkonyan met with the Israeli’s Foreign Ministry’s Eurasian Department Dan Orian and said that Armenia was extremely displeased with the fact that Azerbaijan used Israeli arms.

The Israeli authorities replied that they were ready to sell their arms to Armenia, but, according to Armenia’s former Deputy Defense Minister David Tonoyan, the Armenians refused to buy Israeli arms just because they did not need them.

Armenian mass media mentioned Israel again when they received a report that Israeli Aeronautics Defense Systems was going to sell Azerbaijan Orbiter 1K unmanned aerial vehicles and had agreed to test them against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. As a result, the Israeli Defense Ministry started an investigation and suspended the $20mn contract.

The Armenian authorities urged Israel to inquire into the situation. “They are obliged to do this according to international and humanitarian laws,” Chairman of the Armenian Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee Armen Ashotyan said.

Iran may be displeased

Armenia’s former Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Navasardyan believes that Armenian-Israeli rapprochement may affect Armenian-Iranian relations. “But we still need to develop our relations with Israel. Armenian-Israeli relations are the business of our two states and is not aimed against anybody else,” Navasardyan said.

He believes that this cooperation will benefit both sides. “Israel is a regional power with an annual budget of $90bn. If we like, we can find lots of common grounds in very different spheres. Israel has huge experience in contacts with Diaspora, has modern technologies in farming and efficient education, health care and defense systems,” Navasardyan said.

According to Head of the Noravank Political Studies Center Karen Veranyan, Armenia may become a bridge between Israel and Iran. “We can attract Israel as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, an organization with a multibillion market,” Veranyan said.

He believes that Nalbandian’s meetings in Israel will pave the way for a breakthrough in Armenian-Israeli relations.

According to Navasardyan, the sides should first open embassies. “I am sure that Nalbandian discussed this issue during his visit as without embassies inter-state relations are like a distance marriage,” Navasardyan said.

Experts believe that Armenia is embarking on a dangerous path. Iran is the only regional state that has borders with Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. So, when contacting Israel, the Armenians are forced to keep Iran in mind.

Arshaluys Mgdesyan

TOP-10
  • Now
  • Day
  • Week
  1. WSJ: "Nord Streams" was blown up by Zaluzhny
  2. Russian frozen assets cannot be confiscated — Macron
  3. Will go under the hammer: Trump uproots Pelosi's legacy
  4. The Verkhovna Rada failed to vote for Zelensky in the presence of European commissioners
  5. Elon Musk accused Zelensky of murdering an American journalist
  6. The President of Croatia quarreled with the government over the vote at the UN
  7. The UN General Assembly adopted an anti-Russian resolution on Ukraine
  8. Fines and loan delinquencies: the escaped terrorist actor had his accounts blocked in the Russian Federation
  9. The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are about 1.8 million people, Kiev continues to scare the DPRK army — situation overview
  10. Alias Krasnov: ex-head of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan again handed over the "Russian agent" of Trump
  1. The Verkhovna Rada failed to vote for Zelensky in the presence of European commissioners 1076
  2. WSJ: "Nord Streams" was blown up by Zaluzhny 960
  3. Alias Krasnov: ex-head of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan again handed over the "Russian agent" of Trump 390
  4. Russian uranium was released to the USA in manual mode: exports resumed 285
  5. If Kiev mobilizes all citizens over the age of 16, then the war will last until 2044 - Budanov* 238
  6. Russian frozen assets cannot be confiscated — Macron 200
  7. The official results of the Bundestag elections have been announced in Germany 177
  8. Elon Musk accused Zelensky of murdering an American journalist 160
  9. The UN General Assembly adopted an anti-Russian resolution on Ukraine 158
  10. Trump did not come out to meet Macron at the entrance to the White House 153
  1. WSJ: "Nord Streams" was blown up by Zaluzhny 9027
  2. Alias Krasnov: ex-head of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan again handed over the "Russian agent" of Trump 6207
  3. Zelensky opposed the holding of elections on Ukraine 3496
  4. Musk has identified tens of millions of welfare recipients in the United States between the ages of 100 and 369 2735
  5. Strange objects fall on Poland from space for the second day 2153
  6. If Kiev mobilizes all citizens over the age of 16, then the war will last until 2044 - Budanov* 2066
  7. Trump may withdraw US troops from the Baltic states amid talks with Putin — FT 1769
  8. Elon Musk accused Zelensky of murdering an American journalist 1291
  9. The Verkhovna Rada failed to vote for Zelensky in the presence of European commissioners 1076
  10. "Trump gave us three weeks to sign the surrender of Ukraine" — Finnish MEP 729
All news

24.02.2025

Show more news
Aggregators
Information