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Russia and Iran, meanwhile, also lately signed aviation cooperation agreements that could help both countries with sanctions mitigation in both the civilian and defence spheres. The sourcing of aircraft components, maintenance and repairs, the provision of commercial flights and even the acquisition of Russian fighter planes by Iran could eventuate if the aviation understanding is pushed to its fullest extent.
Most sanctioned
Since the West responded to the Kremlin’s late February invasion of Ukraine, Russia has replaced Iran as the most sanctioned country in the world. Hardly a day goes by now without the announcement of some form of new
or expanded Iranian-Russian trade or
investment deal. A difficulty for the relationship, though, is that Iran and Russia are competitors when it comes to selling oil to markets around the world that are not supportive of Western sanc- tions policy, with China a particularly big prize in this area.
Iran was top for imports of Russian wheat in July, while Kazakhstan fears losing Iran to Russia as its main barley customer.
Russia, meanwhile, is increasingly turning to transit routes via Iran, which provides access to the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, for import and export shipping needs.
Moscow and Tehran have also recently
signed some major oil and gas invest- ment agreements. For instance, Iran intends to bring Russia into a $60bn project to build gas export pipelines to Oman and Pakistan.
The West, meanwhile, might hope
that if a new phase of talks aimed at reinstating the 2015 nuclear deal,
or JCPOA – under which in return
for curbing its nuclear development programme, Iran is boosted by the lifting of sanctions on its economy – proves successful, Iran’s increasing closeness with Moscow might be restrained. The Vienna talks on reviving the JCPOA were due to restart on August 4, with representatives of Iran, France, Germany, the UK, Russia, China and the US due in the Austrian capital.
Fighting resumes in Nagorno-Karabakh Ani Mejlumyan in Yerevan, Cavid Aga in Baku
During clashes on August 3 on the Nagorno-Karabakh contact line, one Azerbaijani and two Armenian soldiers were killed, with each side blaming the other for the escalation of hostilities.
Karabakh's Defence Army, the Armenian enclave's military, said that the soldiers were killed by Azerbaijani drone attacks, which also left 14 other Karabakh servicemen wounded. According to Karabakh authorities, Azerbaijani
forces also used mortars and grenade launchers to strike its frontline positions and one of its bases two days after trying unsuccessfully to advance into western Karabakh. Arayik Harutiunyan, the de facto president, has ordered a "partial mobilisation" of the disputed enclave.
Russian peacekeeping forces are "taking measures to stabilise the situation," a Kara- bakh defence ministry statement read.
The Russian peacekeeping leadership also released a statement, accusing Azerbaijan of violation of the ceasefire regime around Saribaba. "The command
of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, together with representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian sides,
are taking measures to stabilise the situation," the report said.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan blamed the Azerbaijani
side during a meeting with Andrzej Kasprzyk, head of a small OSCE mission monitoring the ceasefire regime in Karabakh. Mirzoyan said Baku attempts to "destabilise the situation".
The Karabakh foreign ministry con- demned the "new wave of Azerbaijan's aggressive actions against Artsakh [the Armenian name for Karabakh]".
Karabakh's leadership conveyed that Azerbaijan has demanded the closure of the Lachin corridor, which is the only overland link between Armenia and Karabakh, saying that "traffic must be organised along a new route shortly".
Armenia's Security Council secretary, Armen Grigoryan, dismissed the issue "It's not legitimate." He argued that
under the agreement, Azerbaijan and Armenia must work out the new road by 2024.
The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported that an 18-year-old soldier was killed in the morning when its positions in the Lachin district west of Karabakh came under "intensive" fire. At the same time, Karabakh denied any clashes in Lachin and claimed that the road was open and safe.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry afterwards blamed Armenia for the fighting, saying that Yerevan has not withdrawn its troops from Karabakh and is in breach of the ceasefire agreement reached after the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war. However, since September, Armenia has pledged to withdraw forces and not send fresh recruits.
The country's Ministry of Defence blamed Armenian authorities in Karabakh for reigniting the clashes and trying to seize the Girkhgiz high ground amongst other things.
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