Baku may be forced to make a geopolitical choice between Iran, Russia and U.S., former Senior Member on the US National Security Council staff at the White House, who is currently serving as a president of Iran Policy Committee in Washington DC Raymond Tanter stated in the interview with TURAN agency.
Speaking of the current situation in the region, Mr. Tanter pointed out that, the cooperation between Moscow and Washington on missile defense as a part of an extension of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty “is much more likely to involve the Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan than when the Bush administration was negotiating with the Russians”.
“But if the Iranian regime objects because Baku and Tehran have signed a mutual agreement not to allow their territory to be used by third countries for hostile actions, then Azerbaijan may be forced to choose between closer relations with the superpowers or appeasing the Iranian regime”, Tanter noted.
“As of now, Azerbaijan can be a military ally of Washington and close neighbor of Tehran at the same time. But in the context of missile defense or military strikes by the United States against Iranian nuclear facilities, then Azerbaijan will have to choose,” the expert said.
“Baku would be much safer better off under the joint cooperation of Moscow and Washington than under the sway of Tehran”, Tanter emphasized.