Iran-Russia-Azerbaijan cooperation shows US waning power: Analyst

Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan have held a trilateral meeting to discuss regional issues and mutual cooperation. The three countries have agreed to bolster cooperation in the oil and gas industry, especially in the field of oil production. They have also discussed the situation in Syria and the necessity to fight against regional terrorism. Press TV has talked to Martin Jay, an award winning journalist, as well as Frederick Peterson, a congressional defense policy adviser, to get their opinion on the significance of this summit.  

Jay believes the regional cooperation between Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan is very important, adding that it indicates the United States’ “waning power” in the Middle East.

He went on to say that US President Donald Trump is acting out of a position of weakness, asserting that regional cooperation is happening "as a consequence of a sort of failed state in Washington”.

“The Trump fiasco that we have seen in the last eight months in office is creating countries in the East to look at new relationships, new ways of bonding, new ways of producing new trade routes and cooperation ” he said.

Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan held their first tripartite summit in August 2016 in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, where they exchanged views on environmental issues and the fight against terrorism as well as ways of enhancing cooperation in the areas of commerce, energy, communications, transport and transit.

The neighboring countries also vowed to work together to prepare the grounds for the construction of the International North-South Transit Corridor (NSTC) which is expected to provide a faster and more efficient trade connectivity between Europe and Southeast Asia. 

PressTV-Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan presidents meet in Tehran

The presidents of Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan meet in Tehran to discuss a variety of issues.

The analyst further noted the longer objective of Iran’s partners –namely Russia, China and the European Union - is to use the country as an interesting go-to point for business and new trade routes in the region.

Therefore, he said, it is hugely important that Iran sticks to the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and to position itself as a significant power in the Middle East.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Jay argued that the administration of former US president Barack Obama looked to Iran as a “platform” to launch itself geopolitically and commercially into countries in central Asia which it did not have access to.

However, he said, the Trump administration is more interested in cultivating tension and crisis in the Middle East in order to promote arms sales rather than developing new business opportunities.

Meanwhile, Frederick Peterson, the other panelist on the program stated the economic development among the regional countries is very good as long as it is not used as a tool to interfere in other countries’ affairs.

He also maintained that the Middle East has been “a very dangerous playground" of subversion and ambitions of nations that go beyond the interests of those who live in the region.

The analyst further opined that under Obama’s administration there was a rapid decline in the United States’ “power, prestige and influence”, claiming that Trump is a “manifestation” of the American people’s frustration with political facades.

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