'Iran’s mediation in Nagorno-Karabakh peace process is not of any benefit to us,' Deputy Director of the Noravank Research and Education Foundation, Iranian studies expert Sevak Sarukhanyan told journalists April 21.
'I do not think that Iran should be involved in the Karabakh process as a mediator, as the OSCE Minsk Group is the optimal negotiating format for Armenia, and getting rid of OSCE MG is of no benefit to Armenia,' he said.
Azerbaijan welcomed the possibility of Iran’s mediation in the process, but such mediation is not advisable for Armenia, as it will serve as a precedent-Baku may later offer Turkey to act as mediator in the negotiation process, the expert stated.
Referring to Turkey’s possible mediation in the Iran-West relations, Sarukhanyan said that Iran does not need mediation, but can agree to it in the hope of “diluting” the negotiations with the West and complicate them.
As regards the sanctions against Iran, the expert said the sanctions will not refer to gas and oil fields, as the West is not yet ready to stop importing Iranian oil. In this respect, possible sanctions will not affect the Armenian-Iranian energy cooperation.
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