Iranian-Armenian relations

[Persopolis]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

Look, I have always supported Iranian-Armenian partnership -- I am not the one impeding it. I am only as a person looking out for Armenia's interests going to look at all our relations critically - I have no attachment to any other country. For example, examining if there's a true support from the Iranian people or if it mostly just comes from government policies meant to play the geopolitics of the region. These are all valid questions and important ones for us. I have always of course talked forcefully against Iranian (and any other country's) hooligans in our country, but always supported peaceful tourists of course. I also don't want mass immigration to Armenia, because I don't want to get our fragile demographics out of balance. And as you know, I vehemently hate the inclusion of Armenia into "Greater Iran" and other similar BS which has no grounding.

You misunderstand: What I am saying is that IF the average Armenian wrote exactly the same things you write, the average Iranian would have no problem with an Azeri putting a bullet in the head of an Armenian. Secondly, IF the average Armenian wrote exactly the same things you write an average Iranian have a problem doing it themselves. In other words, what you and others are doing is teaching people on line to create a national security problem for Armenians.

On the issue of "Greater Iran" - it's up to Iran how "Great" it is or isn't - nothing written on this forum will change that. It doesn't matter what you think about "Greater Iran." As to my personal views on this topic -- they exist elsewhere, and you deliberately do not quote them.

[Federate]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

The issue is if Iranians knew those Afghans were fighting in Karabakh or not - which realistically they would know. Plus, why doesn't the Embassy just reject the claims made by this cleric if they are indeed false? Maybe there is some truth to it, that's why there are not taking a position?

Probably in the interest of unity of the Iranian state which is currently experiencing political problems in the form of Ahmadinejad VS Khamenei. In Iran, the clergy is very powerful so they might not try to go against it at least publicly. They did call him an unreliable source though.

[Eddo211]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

The issue is if Iranians knew those Afghans were fighting in Karabakh or not - which realistically they would know.

Everybody knew about the 2500+ Afghan/Paki Wahabists. Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, USA, Europe......Baku looked liked Kabul.

why doesn't the Embassy just reject the claims made by this cleric if they are indeed false? Maybe there is some truth to it, that's why there are not taking a position?

Because the source is not reliable, and an Embassy represents the views of the President of Iran, which those views and his stand on Armenia and NKR has already been established.
With that said, there is also nothing wrong with questioning this as you do. There should never be blind trust, even among friends...however we would have known about this if it was true.

[Mos]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

Selected quotes from that study:

In 1994 Armenia complained to the UN Rapporteur of the use of mercenaries in the conflict. The
fact that plenty of CIS nationals –ie, Russians and Ukrainians– were or had been serving with the
Azeri forces seemed a lesser concern. The complaint stated specifically that nationals from Iran,
Turkey and Afghanistan had been recruited by Azerbaijan.

Baberzai came to Azerbaijan via Iran, and led a small contingent of 20
Mujahedin.

The Azeri Deputy Minister of the Interior, Rovshan Jivadov, made a secret trip to Afghanistan in
Mid-August of 1993. There he met with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the notorious warlord and leader of
the Islamist faction Hezb-e-Islami.

Unconfirmed reports have stated that the Afghans as well as Azeri commandos were trained by
former members of the US Special Forces.

While al-Qaeda was based in the Sudan it opened a satellite office in Baku. The office was up and running in August 1995, with a significant liaison office having been established.

[Eddo211]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

Selected quotes from that study:

How selective of you.....Azeris didn't need Iran's help to get these fighters in, Pakis will do it today if they had the chance, plus Iran is against these Sunni fighters which consider Persian not true Muslims.
Any unofficial volunteers from Iran means nothing since we know Turks from Turkey and Azeris live in Iran.

[Mos]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

How selective of you.....Azeris didn't need Iran's help to get these fighters in, Pakis will do it today if they had the chance, plus Iran is against these Sunni fighters which consider Persian not true Muslims.
Any unofficial volunteers from Iran means nothing since we know Turks from Turkey and Azeris live in Iran.

I am aware that Iran has its problems with Sunni Extremists, but on the other hand, Azerbaijan is Shia as well, yet the Sunni Muslims were actively fighting for them. I guess maybe difference within religion is overrided if it's a fight against the "infidels".

[Federate]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

"Nationals from Iran" is probably a reference to Azaris. The Afghans and Chechens later lost interest in the war because not only of defeats but because they realised there was no Jihad going on.

[Mos]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

"Nationals from Iran" is probably a reference to Azaris. The Afghans and Chechens later lost interest in the war because not only of defeats but because they realised there was no Jihad going on.

Plus they were getting crushed by our fighters. One of the reasons the writer of that article gives for Osama not mentioning Karabakh is that his fellow Mujhedeen were being humiliated by our soldiers. No wonder NATO was requesting us to send more troops to Afghanistan (which we did recently).

[Eddo211]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

Plus they were getting crushed by our fighters. One of the reasons the writer of that article gives for Osama not mentioning Karabakh is that his fellow Mujhedeen were being humiliated by our soldiers. No wonder NATO was requesting us to send more troops to Afghanistan (which we did recently).

Armenian veterans who served in the Soviet war in Afghanistan cracked their Radio code which gave away their positions....the rest is history.

Some say they were the most orgenized and effective force that Armenian forces engaged during the NK war.

[Mos]

Re: Iranian-Armenian relations

Armenian veterans who served in the Soviet war in Afghanistan cracked their Radio code which gave away their positions....the rest is history.

Some say they were the most orgenized and effective force that Armenian forces engaged during the NK war.

Sure, any body can be an effective fighter if you compare them to Azeri soldiers