Armenia's Tabriz consulate move draws criticism from Azerbaijan & Türkiye Diplomatic intricacies

Iran has greenlighted Armenia's alleged request to open a consulate-general in Tabriz – the city holy for millions of Azerbaijanis across the globe. The move, unexpected to a certain degree, has triggered an enormous controversy among Azerbaijanis in all four corners of the world.

On the other hand, Iran's theocratic regime has not yet given the green light to Azerbaijan's request to open a culture center in Tabriz. The Iranian government in the grip of permanent conflicts with own ethnicities, irrespective of their sizes, is facing the tough task of balancing various thorny issues, and experts do not rule out protests when the consulate is officially opened.

Tehran’s permission to Armenia to open the consulate in Tabriz, viewed by critics as a gesture to satisfy Yerevan and dissatisfy Baku in their face-off, also angered people from all walks of society in Azerbaijan and triggered negative and indignant media reactions in Türkiye.

Tehran, Yerevan swap consulates

Back on October 21, 2022, amid tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the latter's call for the opening of the Zangazur Corridor, Iran in a rushed manner opened its consulate-general in Kapan, Zangazur/Syunik region, viewed by Azerbaijan as Tehran's message to Yerevan that it supports refusal to the transport corridor, Baku has been demanding since the end of the 44-day war in 2020.

At the opening of the Iranian consulate-general, attended by Foreign Ministers Ararat Mirzoyan and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Armenia reiterated its intention to open a consulate-general in Iran's Tabriz, knowing very well how sensitive Azerbaijanis are on both banks of the Araz River.

“I’d like to once again reiterate Armenia's intention to open a consulate-general in Tabriz. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been and will continue to be a key partner for Armenia,” Mirzoyan said then in Kapan. 

On a visit to Armenia late in December 2023, Amir-Abdollahian reiterated his theocratic government’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia.

“Iran fully supports lasting peace in the South Caucasus and the construction of the North–South international transport corridor,” Amir-Abdollahian said, adding that “Iran welcomes the Crossroads of Peace project, initiated by Armenia”.

“We hope that during the first weeks of the new year, my colleague and I will witness the official opening ceremony of the consulate-general in Tabriz,” he added. 

Official Baku tight-lipped on Iran’s consent to the Armenian consulate-general in Tabriz

Amid the lack of Baku’s official reaction to the imminent opening of the Armenian consulate-general in Tabriz, Farid Shafiyev of the government-funded Center for Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center) called it a political move.

"The opening of the Consulate General of Armenia in Tabriz is a political step. This is a certain message for us," the pundit said, adding that he “does not think that this decision will create any problems for Azerbaijanis living in Iran”.

"Iran, as a sovereign country, can establish certain relations with Armenia. We for years have long sought to open a culture center in Tabriz, this issue is not resolved, but whatever happens, Armenia's proposals are quickly resolved," Shafiyev said.

Azerbaijanis in Iran, the most numerous and influential ethnic minority, numbering at least up to 20-30 million, face political and cultural discrimination, where the mullahcracy prohibits them from speaking their language in schools, harassing Azerbaijani activists, changing historical Azerbaijani toponyms.

In his remarks back in 2023, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the vitality of protecting the rights of Iranian Azerbaijanis.

"Many more Azerbaijanis are living outside Azerbaijan than in the country alone. Of course, their security, their rights, and well-being are of the utmost importance to us. We will continue to do everything to help the Azerbaijanis who have found themselves cut off from our state, to assist them in their development so that they preserve the Azerbaijani language, Azerbaijani traditions, Azerbaijani culture, remain true to the principles of Azerbaijanism and never cut off ties with their historical homeland, just as many representatives of other peoples of our fraternal Turkic states live outside their states. But I also know that all leaders of the Turkic states attach great importance to how the rights of their brothers are secured in various countries."

Even though the Iranian government’s open support for Armenia is beyond any doubt and disapproves of Baku’s insistent call on Yerevan to sanction the opening of the Zangazur Corridor, ethnic Azerbaijanis in Iran never shy from voicing their backing to brothers and sisters in independent Azerbaijan.

Social media is inundated with videos showing demonstrations in various cities, including Tehran and Tabriz, in support of Azerbaijan, where chants, saying “Karabakh belongs to us and will continue to belong to us,” can be heard.

Turkish media critical of prospective Armenian consulate in Tabriz

Turkish media outlets were also critical of Iran’s permission to the opening of the Armenian consulate-general in Tabriz, ascribing it to "a message against the Turkic world". Several media outlets argued that Tehran’s actions could pave the way for an escalation in the Caucasus amidst the delicate balance between Baku and Yerevan.

"Choosing Tabriz, one of the cities with the largest number of Turks for the Armenian consulate-general was interpreted as a message against the Turkic world," Yeni Safak said on 9 January, opining that "the opening of the Armenian consulate in Tabriz will increase tension in the region".

The report also claimed that while Iran itself offered Armenia to open a consulate general in Tabriz, Azerbaijan's similar request was blocked by the Iranian authorities for years.