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Analysis: Armenia–Azerbaijan deal worries Iran
The August 8 agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan that was brokered in Washington created the US-managed “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” and granted Azerbaijan a link to its Nakhchivan exclave. While the deal preserves Iran’s overland access to Armenia and Europe, Tehran sees it as a strategic setback that could weaken its role in regional trade, bolster Turkish and Azerbaijani influence, and reduce its leverage with the West.
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Iranian and Armenian militaries drill as Azerbaijan hosts Israel-Turkey talks
Iranian and Armenian special forces conduct their first joint military exercise near the two countries’ shared border, while Azerbaijan mediated talks between Israel and Turkey over Syria.
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Analysis: Iran’s loss is Turkey’s gain
Tehran’s recent setbacks have paved the way for Ankara’s ascent. The Ankara-backed Azerbaijan’s triumph over Tehran-backed Armenia, Turkish-supported militias outmaneuvering Iran’s influence in Syria, and now, the unraveling of the Iran-backed PKK further tilts the balance in Turkey’s favor.
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Analysis: Iran reestablishes its presence in the Caucuses with Armenian arms deal
Iran signed a new arms agreement with Armenia, seeking to increase its influence in the Caucuses and counter Israel-Azerbaijan military ties.
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Veteran Egyptian jihadist now an al Qaeda leader in Syria
Ahmed Salama Mabruk, a veteran Egyptian jihadist, is now a key figure in Al Nusrah Front. Mabruk’s dossier stretches back to the early 1980s, when he was first imprisoned following the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. He reportedly oversaw Egyptian Islamic Jihad and al Qaeda networks in the 1990s, before being captured in a CIA-led manhunt. He was released from an Egyptian prison following the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.
