Iran says military exercises near Azeri border an issue of “sovereignty”. A screengrab from a video shows Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadehspeaking on the issue of the army drills along the Azerbaijani border.
What Happened: The Iranian army will conduct exercises along the country’s northwestern border with Azerbaijan starting Oct. 1, Bloomberg reported Sept. 30, citing an Iranian military official. The combined arms exercises will reportedly involve armor, drones, artillery, electronic warfare and helicopter units.
Why It Matters: A military confrontation between Iran and Azerbaijan is highly unlikely as it appears neither country’s leadership is eager for conflict. But the Oct. 1 army exercises — which will be Iran’s largest in 20 years — will nonetheless increase cross-border tensions. A miscalculation or misunderstanding is also possible, which could slightly increase the likelihood of a flare-up between Iranian and Azeri troops.
Background: The Iranian military has been moving large amounts of equipment and troops in recent days toward their northwestern border. Iran-Azerbaijan relations have deteriorated in recent weeks after Azeri customs officials began imposing a “road tax” on Iranian commercial truckers transporting fuel and other goods to Armenia and the disputed Karabakh region.
Source: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situation-report/azerbaijan-iran-conduct…