Under Iranian Eyes: The Challenges of the Caucasus

Following some historical background, Iranian policy toward & interests in the Caucasus are analyzed. Discussion begins with what the region offers Iran economically, politically, & in terms of security. Iranian-Caucasian relations have assumed two characters, one positive & based on gas & oil pipelines & bilateral trade, eg, with Armenia, Georgia, & Ukraine, the other problematic, ie, with Azerbaijan. Trouble with Azerbaijan is seen as reflective of Iran's relations with the region in general & can be summed up as Iranian concern for a regional bias toward the US, particularly evident in military relations; a related worry for Iran is Turkish influence in the region. Other security concerns include local conflict spillover, eg, the Nagorno-Karabakh territorial dispute, & US efforts to exclude Iran from the region. Iranian-Caucasian mutual dependency is noted in closing. D. Edelman