Armenia shifting hopes from Iran to France, pundit remarks

Amidst the post-war depression gripping Armenia, pundit Karen Kocharyan sheds light on the nation's fluctuating sentiments, noting a shift from viewing Iran as a saviour to now looking towards France for support.

"Against the backdrop of post-war depression, Armenia is in a state of ‘public autism’, people are ‘closed in themselves’, do not want to notice anything and believe in everything," Kocharyan said, Caliber.Az reports citing Armenian media.

Addressing the prevalent mood in Armenia, Kocharyan described the state of the nation as one of "public autism," where people are introspective and prone to believing in changing narratives without delving into realpolitik subtleties. Citing social polls, he emphasized the rapid evolution of public sentiments over recent years, oscillating between support for various nations.

Kocharyan outlined the sequence of shifts in public sentiment, starting from pro-Russian sentiments immediately after the war, followed by a surge in anti-Russian feelings and a corresponding rise in the image of the United States. At one point, Iran was seen as a saviour, succeeded by India amidst reports of arms deliveries, and currently, France has gained prominence.

"Over the past three years, public sentiments and preferences have been changing at lightning speed. Immediately after the war, public sentiment was on Russia's side; then anti-Russian sentiment intensified, against the backdrop of which the image of the United States rose; at one point Iran was considered the saviour; then, against the backdrop of reports of arms deliveries, India; now France. Who will be tomorrow? It is unknown," he said on the air of the program "Oragir".

He noted with regret that developed societies try to understand the subtleties of realpolitik, but the public in Armenia does not try to follow such trends.

The situation in the region does not change from the wishes or sentiments of the Armenian society, and the fact is that only those who are present on the ground, whose troops are present here, can take any action in the region. There are three powers present in the region, he emphasized: Russia, Iran and Türkiye.

Highlighting the geopolitical reality, Kocharyan underscored the limited influence of countries not physically present in the region. Despite France's positive attitude towards Armenia, its absence in the region limits its ability to directly influence events. Similarly, the United States' impact is tempered by the dominance of Türkiye in the region.

In assessing the region's dynamics, Kocharyan emphasized the pivotal roles played by Russia, Iran, and Türkiye, each with their respective interests and military presence.

“France is undoubtedly a friendly country, which has a really positive attitude towards Armenia and the Armenian people, but it is not represented in the region. The same applies to the United States, therefore, when speaking about the West's representation in the region, we should have Türkiye in mind,” he stressed.