Afghanistan
Situated on the eastern and north eastern borders of Iran, Iran's relations with Afghanistan can be described as generally passive, with bouts of change to passive – aggressive form. As a former Iranian territory, almost over half of Afghanistan speak Persian. Relations between the two countries were good during the reign of the Shah of Iran and Afghanistan's Zahir Shah. However relations became strained after the overthrow of Afghanistan's Zahir shah by the Soviet backed Afghan Communist party headed by Babrak Kamayel. The rise of Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran did not improve relations as it was equally as Anti- Communist as his former predecessor the Shah was. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan raised alarm bells in Iran as it was an invasion of a neighbouring Muslim country and also because it lead to millions of Afghans becoming displaced with many finding refuge in Iran. Their presence placed further pressure on Iran's war damaged economy. Nevertheless the Iranian government continued to support them and Afghanistan's anti- Soviet Mojahedeen forces. After the withdrawal of the Soviet forces in 1989 the Iranian government assisted the Shiite Northern Alliance forces headed by Ahmad Shah Masood which was involved in civil war against the predominantly Sunni-Pakistani backed Taleban forces in Afghanistan. In 1998 relations between Iran and Afghanistan reached an all time low when Taleban forces shot and killed eight Iranian diplomats in the city of Mazar-e - sharif. In response the Iranian government went as far as amassing forces on the border with Afghanistan. During the US war against the Taleban in 2001, the Iranian government found itself on the same side as US. In fact Iran covertly assisted US efforts to establish relations with the Northern Alliance Army in their fight against the Taleban regime. Relations between Iran and Afghanistan have improved marginally after the election the new Ahmed Karzai regime in Afghanistan. One of the main obstacles to further improvements is Ahmed Karzai's good political and military relations with the US government. The Iranian government views this relationship with suspicion and as a long term threat against its interests in the region.
Pakistan
Iran's relations with Pakistan have mostly been friendly and stable, both during the rein of the Shah and after the establishment of the Islamic republic in Iran in 1979. During Iraq's war against Iran Pakistan was one of the only countries in the region to stay neutral. Strategic relations between the two countries have been based on their common goal of fighting drug smugglers on their borders. Furthermore Pakistan has in the past provided training to Iran's Navy personnel, especially regarding submarine warfare. Disputes between the two countries have been based on allegations of covert Pakistani support for small group of Baluchi militants in Iran. Furthermore Iran objected heavily to Pakistan's testing of its nuclear weapons on its border in 1999. This act caused earth quake like tremor in the Sistan and Baluchistan provinces of Iran.
Turkey
Iran's relations with Turkey have generally been amicable, although period of tension have existed between them. During the rein of the Shah both countries had close military and economic relations as both belonged to the US anti Soviet front in the region. However relations between them started to become strained after the revolution in Iran due to the fact that Iran's Islamic based government system is opposite to Turkey's strictly secular based system of governance. In the 1980s the Turkish authorities accused the regime in Tehran of supporting extremist organisations in Turkey. Such activities in Turkey have been viewed as Iranian regime's long term strategy of exporting its brand of fundamentalist Islam to Turkey. Although economic relations between the two countries did continue to improve over the years, political relations between them became strained again in 1996 as Turkey established military alliance with Israel. The Iranian government saw the disadvantages of this military alliance when on an occasion Turkish fighter jets forced an Iranian Cargo plane flying over Turkey's aerospace to land there because they suspected that it was carrying weapons to Hezbollah forces in Lebanon. The Turks were proven right and Iran did duly stop such flights over Turkey. Since then relations have began to improve, especially in the economic field. This is manifested by the growing investment of Turkish telecom and construction companies in Iran.
Iraq
The last 30 years of modern Iranian – Iraqi history has been mostly stained with verbal and armed conflict. Relations between Iran and Iraq did enjoy a period of stability in the 1950s when both countries were ruled by pro-western monarchies. However the situation changed after the Baathist revolution of Iraq in the 1960s, especially after the rise of Saddam Hussein in 1979. An ardent Iraqi nationalist who believed in complete Iraqi sovereignty over the Shaat Al Arab water way in the Persian Gulf and over the Khuzestan region of Iran, Saddam on many occasions flexed his military muscle on the Iran – Iraq border. However his overtures were rebuffed by the Shah's western equipped Army which was viewed as stronger than Saddam's armed forces. In 1975 Iraq agreed to end its hostile overtures towards Iran in what is known as the “Algiers agreement”. After a period of lull in their relations, Iraq launched a full military invasion of Iran in 1980. Known as the longest conventional war in human history, the conflict which lasted for eight years was launched by Saddam as means of capturing the oil rich region of Khuzestan from Iran and also as means of establishing full Iraqi sovereignty over the Shaat Al Arab water way in the Persian Gulf. Supported militarily by France and the USSR and indirectly by the US, Saddam was able to fight the war based on qualitative advantage of his weaponry. Although he was unable to achieve his ultimate goal of capturing Iranian territory, he was able to fulfill th goals of the Western powers which was to check Iran's growing military and political influence in the region – for the duration of the war.
Two years after the end of the war; upon invading Kuwait and finding himself in open conflict with the US, Saddam came to rely on Iran as means of breaking the UN imposed economic embargo. It is alleged that members of the Iranian government charged extortionate prices from Saddam's regime for allowing the secret export of oil from Iran's ports during the embargo. After the overthrow of Saddam in 2003 relations between the two countries have seen periods of tension as well as signs of improvement. After many years both countries have established full diplomatic relations. However the interim Iraqi administration accuses the Iranian government of providing political and military support to some of Iraq's Shiite movements as means of buying influence in Iraqi politics.
Azerbaijan
Iran's relations with Azerbaijan have been improving ever since Azerbaijan's independence from the USSR in 1989. Their relations are based on cultural commonalities between Iran's own Azerbaijan province and that of the newly independent Azerbaijan state. At the onset Iran viewed ex-Soviet Azerbaijan's independence as a threat against its security as it had the potential of encouraging Iran's own Azeri population to demand independence from Iran . Furthermore the Iranian regime viewed Azerbaijan's close relations with the US with suspicion. However despite a number of allegations regarding covert Azeri support for those seeking independence in Iran's Azerbaijan province, relations between the two countries have been improving. This was underlined by the successful trip made by Iran's President Ayatollah Khatami to Azerbaijan in 2004 which was reciprocated by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev in January 2005. The two countries have a number of territorial and economic agreements regarding oil exploration in the Caspian sea, as well as encouragement of cross border trade. Iran and Azerbaijan are also discussing bilateral judicial cooperation regarding exchange of information of criminals operating in the border area between the two countries.
Armenia
Sharing a joint border area of only 35kms, Iran's relations with Armenia have been stable politically and economically. Iran has its own Armenian minority population who have a strong religious bond with their cousins in Armenia. The strength of this relationship has had a positive impact on Iran's relations with Armenia. Both countries have a number of joint economic projects which include dam and power plant construction project in the Aras River of Armenia. Other projects currently being discussed include construction of a pipeline to carry Iranian gas to Armenia. There are also a number of Iranian banks currently operating in Armenia. The highlight of relations between the two countries was the visit of Armenia's President Kocharian's to Iran in 2001, which was reciprocated by Iran's President Khatami in 2004. The volume of trade between the two countries is estimated to be approximately $120 million USD. Iran is Armenia's third biggest trade partner after Russia and Belgium.
Turkmenistan
Sharing a border stretching 992 km, Iran's economic and political relations with Turkmenistan have generally been amicable. The strength of their relationship is underlined by the growing volume of trade between them, which is estimated to have been $USD700 million for the year 2004. Both countries aim to increase this figure to $1 billion USD in the next five years. Although it must be noted that Turkmenistan's close military relations with the US and the fact that it allowed the US to place its military forces on its soil are viewed with concern in Iran. Nevertheless both countries have a number of agreements such as joint border security and sharing of oil resources in the Caspian sea. Other Current joint projects include:
- co-operation in the water and power sectors supply of gas from Turkmenistan to Iran
- construction of the Friendship Dam on Iran-Turkmenistan border
- construction of Bafq (Turkmenistan) Mashhad (Iran) railway line
The presence and links of Iran's own Turkmen population with Turkmenistan are viewed as a one of the linchpins for the success of Iran – Turkmenistan relations By: Meir Javedanfar
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