Iran and the South Caucasus: Challenges for Regional Policy in the 21st Century

This presentation explores Iranian perceptions of the changes taking place beyond the country's northern borders, and it traces the historical background and the development of international relations between Iran and the three Transcaucasian states of the former Soviet South. On the basis of today’s political realities in the South Caucasus, considerable attention is also given to Iranian perceptions of the role of the main foreign actors in the region – the USA, Russia, and Turkey. The presentation also shows that despite its activities in the Caucasus, Iran is not a dominant player in the region.

Iranian politics towards the South Caucasus can be considered as pragmatic and realistic. Iran feared that the establishment of a strong and independent Republic of Azerbaijan could lead to a rise of nationalistic aspirations among its own Azerbaijani minority, and so adopted a policy of de facto cooperation with Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabagh. This example illustrates the ‘paradoxical’ non-ideological nature of Iran’s policy toward the region. Similarly, Iran's rapprochement with Russia is driven by the hypothetical enlargement of NATO; the economic importance to Western companies of the Caspian energy resources and the transit routes of the region; and the political and military presence of the US in Georgia and Azerbaijan. Iran doesn't even make any serious attempt to compete with Russia for influence in the newly independent republics in Central Asia and Caucasus.

The presentation also explores the ‘new Iranian diaspora’ in the Caucasus, especially in Georgia, paying special attention to the causes of their emigration from Iran, and to their social, religious and other activities..