The Iranian province of East Azerbaijan borders on Armenia and Azerbaijan. Both countries have been enemies for decades. Now Tehran's armed forces are starting an exercise in the region. There are paratroopers, kamikaze drones and Revolutionary Guard helicopters.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have started a multi-day maneuver on the border with Azerbaijan. The message of the large-scale exercise is, among other things, to demonstrate to Iran's enemies the combat readiness of the IRGC ground forces, the state news agency IRNA reported, citing an officer. The aim is to defend the national borders and security in the region.
Iran's East Azerbaijan province, where the maneuvers are taking place, borders Armenia and Azerbaijan. During the exercise, the use of parachutists, helicopters and also kamikaze drones will be trained, as reported by the Iranian news agency Tasnim. In addition, crossing the border river Aras with mobile bridges should be practiced.
According to Tasnim, who is considered the mouthpiece of the Revolutionary Guards, three major maneuvers have already been held in the province since the war between neighboring countries Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at war with each other over the Nagorno-Karabakh region for decades. In autumn 2020, Armenia had lost a war against its neighbor and had to give up large areas.
Like Russia, Iran has good relations with Armenia. However, there are always tensions with Azerbaijan. The leadership in Tehran accuses the neighboring country of cooperating with the West and its arch-enemy Israel.
In order to settle the border conflict, the EU foreign ministers decided on an observer mission. Up to 40 European experts will be sent to the Armenian border area, as the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced on the fringes of the foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg. The mission is initially limited to two months.
The aim is to build trust between the two warring republics in the Caucasus and to secure the international border, Borrell explained. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev approved the deployment of EU observers ten days ago at a summit meeting of more than 40 European countries in Prague. French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Council President Charles Michel mediated in the conflict.
