Don't demonize Armenia for its relations with Iran - opinion

The Jerusalem Post recently published an opinion by Mordechai Kedar (“The secret arms deal: Iran and Armenia,” August 7) regarding a purported Iranian-Armenian “significant arms agreement.” However, both sides deny the existence of such a deal, and no independent experts in the arms trade can corroborate the claim. 

Nevertheless, I would like to highlight several pertinent facts related to this issue. The writer references Iran International reporting on a supposed $500 million deal, Kedar further mentions that Armenia has also signed an arms deal with India “worth $600 million.” 

It is well known that Armenia has faced significant challenges in modernizing its military due to the subpar quality of weapons supplied by Russia, while Azerbaijan has successfully modernized its forces with substantial assistance from Israel, including arms deals valued at over $5 billion.

After reviewing Armenia’s recent purchases, Mr. Kedar arrives at an unexpected conclusion: “It seems that Armenia is preparing for the next war in the Caucasus. Otherwise, why purchase such quantities of weapons?”

He strongly implies that Armenia is a potential aggressor against Azerbaijan, echoing similar statements from Azeri state propaganda.

One might wonder whether Azerbaijan’s billion-dollar arms purchases have similarly concerned Kedar or other experts, prompting fears that Azerbaijan is preparing for a large-scale military operation against Armenians, despite ongoing peace negotiations.

Armenia's right to defend itself

As a sovereign state, Armenia has the right and obligation to defend itself, including the freedom to purchase weapons from any source it deems necessary. It is also important to note that Armenia’s arms acquisitions, even if from Iran, do not pose any threat to Israel’s security. In contrast, Israeli arms supplies to Azerbaijan have posed a significant threat to Armenia’s security, as demonstrated during the Second Karabakh War.

The continuous supply of Israeli weaponry during that conflict, while all other countries suspended such supplies to Azerbaijan, had a severely negative impact on Armenia-Israel relations. Despite this, Armenia has shown dedication in moving past this unfortunate chapter by sending a resident ambassador to Israel and establishing a direct Yerevan-Tel Aviv flight – steps that, unfortunately, Israel has not yet reciprocated.

Kedar’s statements that for “quite a while Iran has been arming Armenia” and that “cooperation between Iran and Armenia dates back to the First Karabakh War” are also inaccurate. 

Iran played no role in either Karabakh war, whereas Turkey provided substantial military assistance to Azerbaijan, as recently confirmed by President Tayyip Erdogan himself. Furthermore, numerous Islamist fighters from Afghanistan, Syria, and Turkey were recruited by Azerbaijan during both wars.

I agree with Kedar that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. Today, Iran and its proxies are openly waging war against Israel, compelling us to seek new arms suppliers to ensure our security. So why is it surprising that non-Muslim Armenia, which faces similar challenges in securing its safety in a hostile environment, is taking similar measures?

Those who seek to demonize Armenia because of its positive relations with a neighbor should remember that, as a Christian nation, Armenia is not ideologically aligned with Iran, as evidenced by its desire to cultivate friendly relations with Israel. It is certainly not a member of the Shi’ite Crescent or the Axis of Evil. 

While the Israeli press occasionally portrays Armenia as a country with high levels of antisemitism, the National Security Council of Israel consistently classifies Armenia as the safest country for Jews in a large portion of Eurasia between China and the Balkans, in contrast to the nations surrounding it.

Today, Armenia is pursuing closer ties with the West. Why would it jeopardize its relations with the United States and the European Union for a dubious deal with Iran? 

And if such false information was published in Israel, one must ask: Who benefits from it?

The writer, a former MK, is a political analyst and an expert on the Caucasus and Central Asia.