Iran and Armenia: The Quiet Making of a Defense Partnership
This is the first ever joint Armenia-Iran military drills
By David Petrosyan
On April 8, official military sources in Yerevan unexpectedly reported that on April 9-10, special forces units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct joint exercises. The units of the RA Armed Forces will conduct the exercises on the territory of Armenia, and the unit of the IRI Armed Forces – on the territory of Iran. The exercises envisaged actions to neutralize an attack by conditional terrorist groups on border checkpoints located on the state border of Armenia-Iran.
Iranian sources confirmed that the exercises were practicing scenarios for fighting terrorist groups that attacked checkpoints of both countries.
The limited scale of the exercises is striking. This is due to the fact that Yerevan and Tehran were afraid of the risks. Thus, Armenia could run into opposition from the West, primarily in the person of Washington. Iran, like Armenia, did not want larger-scale exercises to trigger similar countermeasures from Turkiye and Azerbaijan, which would further escalate the regional escalation.
These exercises came against the backdrop of attempts between Iran and Turkiye to mend ties and improve bilateral relations. The Iranian leadership fears that Turkey, encouraged by the overthrow of the Assad regime in Syria, will continue to strengthen its influence in the South Caucasus at the expense of Iran.
On March 24-25, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Armenia, which is a key partner of Tehran in the South Caucasus, to coordinate efforts to prevent the creation of a Turkish-backed transit corridor that would block Iran’s land access to Armenia. Apparently, during this visit, a final agreement was reached on holding joint exercises. Let us also recall that Armenia is the only Christian country that borders the Islamic Republic.
At the same time, there is a protracted crisis in Armenian-Russian relations while at the same time Armenia has become closer to the US and the EU and is trying to improve relations with Turkiye. Tehran fears that further signs of weakness, including in the South Caucasus, could prompt the US and/or Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Let us also recall that the exercises were held on the eve of the first round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran in Oman. In addition, during the same period, the possibility of a US missile and bomb strike on Iran was openly discussed in the open press of countries around the world. Therefore, the Armenian-Iranian exercises had a geopolitical subtext and became a kind of “quiet sensation”.
Returning to the military aspect of the exercises, it should be noted that the countries deployed their operational units in the border region of Norduz. The Armenian printed publication in Iran “Alik” / “Wave” reported that Brigadier General Sardar Mardani drew attention to the fact that the areas where the military exercises are being held are under the control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – IRGC. (file:///C:/Users/Admin/Downloads/alik-20250410%20(1).pdf ). The exercises, aimed at strengthening border security, included the use of various types of light and heavy weapons, as well as an assessment of the skills of snipers from special forces. The program also included demining, demolition work and fire support.
The representative of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran, Brigadier General Seyed Mortaza Mirian highly appreciated the joint exercises with Armenia, which took place on April 9-10. This was reported by the Iranian news agency Mehr. The general also emphasized Iran’s policy of respecting the territorial integrity of all neighboring countries.Brigadier General Sardar Mardani said that the impeccable conduct of the “peaceful exercises” was under the control of the regional headquarters of the 31st operational division “Ashura”. He noted that Ashura is one of the important military units in the Eastern Mediterranean and Iraq.
Thus, telegram channels close to the IRGC reported an assessment of the exercises of this structure: “… The Zangezur corridor” can be opened only if Iran’s conditions are met and under its strategic control. This is not just a regional issue – it is a question of geopolitical sovereignty and the balance of power in the South Caucasus. Iran will not allow this corridor to be turned into an instrument of foreign influence and destabilization”
Yerevan believes that the joint military exercises between Iran and Armenia were a soft but unambiguous response to the growing tensions around the issue of the extraterritorial “Zangezur corridor”, which Azerbaijan and Turkey, which supports it, insists on. Despite the aggravation of the situation in the region, the Armenian region of Syunik (the term Zangezur is also used) and the aforementioned corridor, which connects the western regions of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan autonomy, remain a red line for both Armenia and Iran.
The restraint of the Armenian-Iranian message was conveyed by the following: i) the exercises were conducted only at the level of special units, which emphasizes the limitations of the format; ii) each side conducted exercises on its own territory; and iii) Iran conducted exercises with Azerbaijan last year in approximately the same manner. These exercises did not involve special units. But the objectives of both exercises were largely similar.
Formally, one of the goals of the exercises is to demonstrate coordination and cooperation with neighboring countries. This is why Brigadier General Mardani emphasized the peaceful nature of the exercises.
Interestingly, there is no regulatory framework between Iran and Armenia on military interaction and cooperation, no agreements on military alliance or supply of weapons and ammunition, but there is a coincidence of interests in the issue of national security in the South Caucasus region.
The events of the last 4-5 years, in connection with Russia’s preoccupation with Ukraine and Turkey’s growing influence in the region, have made their own adjustments to the policies of Yerevan and Tehran. In this situation: the Iranian factor has played and continues to play an important role in containing Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia in September 2022 and subsequently.
Tehran also declares at the highest level that it is against the “re-drawing” of regional borders and the opening of an extraterritorial corridor through the south of Armenia, which Baku insists on, without hiding its aggressive intentions.
It should be taken into account that Azerbaijan now largely independently determines its foreign and security policy. The key actor that can, to a certain extent, make adjustments to this policy is Turkey. The influence of such actors as Great Britain and Israel, in our opinion, is more limited.
Can we now say that Iran has decided to back up its words with deeds – a question to which there is no clear answer. But one cannot ignore the fact that the Iranian military group deployed near the northern border, i.e. the border with Armenia, the western regions of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Region, has at least 140 thousand servicemen, of which 40-45 thousand represent the elite IRGC. This group is armed with heavy weapons, hypersonic missiles, attack drones, etc. It should be noted that this group is in a high degree of combat readiness and regularly conducts exercises with live firing. Therefore, it can be assumed that the Armenian-Iranian exercises will certainly play a certain deterrent role.
Let us recall that now, when Azerbaijan periodically accuses Armenia of violating the ceasefire, which is perceived not only in Yerevan, as an attempt by Baku to create an information pretext for unleashing new hostilities. Also, according to our preliminary assessment, the joint exercises between Armenia and Iran may reflect larger-scale changes in regional geopolitics.
The first joint exercises between Armenian and Iranian special forces also allow us to conclude that Armenian politicians and diplomats have managed to convince their Iranian colleagues that the pro-Western course of the current government of Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan is not directed against its southern neighbor.
We must also remember on January 14 of this year, Armenia signed a charter on strategic partnership with the United States, and in early April, Armenian President Vahagn Khachatryan signed a law on the beginning of the country’s accession process to the European Union.
The author is a Yerevan-based political analyst.
