Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan were all former parts of the Persian
Empire, in a past that is remote enough not to sound threatening any
longer. The three republics have been strongly influenced by Persian
culture and its heritage is still visible and tangible in the art,
language and architecture of the South Caucasus. This historic heritage
has been preserved regardless of the twists and turns of international
relations, and the fact that investments from and to Iran might be more
easily accessible and more open could further enhance the exchange and
the promotion of common assets. Something should be stressed here: this
is an ongoing process, the ball is already rolling. Iran might have been
an international pariah in other theaters, but it has never been left
as an outsider in the South Caucasus. It preserved its regional
relevance, and it kept developing its relations with the two plus one -
Georgia does not actually share any border with Iran - northern
neighbors.
For the three post-Soviet Republics trade exchange and diplomatic ties
with Iran were till the very recent past to be molded not only
consistently with the nature of the bilateral relation but, often on the
tightrope, with the international commitments undertaken. Now things
may go more smoothly, at least this is what can be assumed from a short
review of what happened and what is happening in the last months in
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Necessarily singularly, one by one.
My commentary for AVIM: http://www.avim.org.tr/analiz/en/IRAN-AND-THE-SOUTH-CAUCASUS:-THE-IMPACT-OF-THE-NUCLEAR-DEAL-/4166
