Iran-Armenia $500M arms deal: Global security risks - opinion

Iran International has reported that Iran and Armenia have concluded a significant arms agreement valued at $500 million, which constitutes one-third of Armenia’s defense budget for 2024.

This agreement should set off alarm bells in Israel, Europe, and the US. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the No. 1 state sponsor of terrorism in the world and is presently pursuing a nuclear program that threatens the West. This arms deal with Armenia will enable Iran to spread its terrorism across the globe more effectively.

Military cooperation between Iran and Armenia is nothing new. For quite a while Iran has been arming Armenia. Cooperation between Iran and Armenia dates back to the First Karabakh War, when the Iranians were prime benefactors of Armenia’s ethnic cleansing of the Karabakh region in violation of four UN Security Council resolutions. For this reason, Iranian mosques were permitted to remain standing in Armenian-controlled Karabakh, although Azerbaijani mosques were destroyed. During the Second Karabakh War, the Iranians sold Armenia weapons that they obtained from the Russians.

Now, since it has become taboo in Western circles to cooperate with Moscow, Armenia is continuing to cooperate with Iran, which helps Yerevan fill the void left in Moscow’s absence. The Armenians were satisfied with the Iranian weapons they bought, mainly drones and air-defense systems, and the Armenians found the Iranian weapons  to be reliable and effective.

In the Middle East, Iran is a force to be reckoned with. The Shi’ite Crescent currently includes not only Iran but also Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen. Iran has weapons and possesses valuable natural resources such as gas and oil, which grant the mullahs power and influence.

One of the advantages of the Iranians over the Russians is that receiving help from Russia sometimes involves political commitments to Russia, which does not always coincide with the Armenian national interests. These political commitments do not exist in the Iran-Armenia relations, and this situation makes the relationship between the two countries much easier.

Another advantage of Iran over Russia as Armenia’s new main sponsor is the matter of physical distance. Iran is much closer to Armenia than Russia, which reduces the costs of transportation and makes for greater convenience in transferring weapons. This is essential in times of war.

More arms deals

This is not the only arms deal that Armenia has made. It recently signed an arms deal with India worth $600m., a sum that constitutes about 90% of Armenia’s military budget. In addition, the European Union allocated €10m. to Armenia for military purposes. It seems that Armenia is preparing for the next war in the Caucasus. Otherwise, why purchase such quantities of weapons?

The issue here is not only Armenia’s armament but also the Iranian involvement in the Caucasus, which enhances Iran’s ability to sponsor terrorism.

Iran is already involved in a regional war, directly and through its proxies in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza, against Israel, which represents the West in the Middle East. The money that Iran will receive from Armenia will not go to promote the welfare of the citizens of Iran, but will probably be used to finance terrorism in the Middle East and in Western countries as well.

We all have to keep our eyes open for all possibilities. Iran received a new – and large – source of funding, and some of this money will inevitably be directed to terrorism. This money came partially from the EU. The West should wake up and not allow this situation to continue.

The writer is a Middle East scholar and commentator on the region.