Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, President Hassan Rouhani and Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov attend the opening session of a two-day conference of the Economic Cooperation Organization. (Source: ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)
TEHRAN (Public Radio of Armenia) — With the end of sanctions on Iran, the country’s regional economic influence will begin to rebound. The adjacent South Caucasus region, encompassing Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, is one area that Tehran will target for greater cooperation, reaching out to make deals on trade and energy, says a new report published by Stratfor.
According to the study, the January 17 end of sanctions on Iran will have important consequences worldwide, changing the state of play in the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Yemen. In the South Caucasus, however, Tehran’s reemergence will have particularly sweeping effects. “For some time, Iran has lagged far behind its regional rivals in terms of economic and military influence, even as it has become increasingly interested in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia for their transit and energy possibilities.â€
