In a historic move laden with diplomatic significance, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Turkiye last month, marking the first official trip by an Armenian leader since President Serzh Sargsyan’s brief appearance at a football match in 2009. Hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, the visit served as a potent symbol of growing momentum in the normalization process between two countries that have long been estranged due to deep-seated historical and geopolitical grievances.

Although dialogue between Armenia and Turkiye has occurred sporadically over the years, the current thaw is marked by several unique dynamics. The formal normalization effort, initiated in 2022 with the appointment of special envoys by both sides, now appears to be backed by a firmer political will. Erdogan and Pashinyan have engaged in multiple meetings at international summits and have developed a line of direct communication, eliminating the need for third-party mediators. Pashinyan’s attendance at Erdogan’s 2023 inauguration and his recent visit reflect a broader commitment to reconfiguring Armenia’s regional strategy in a rapidly shifting geopolitical environment.

This process, however, does not exist in a vacuum. The backdrop to Pashinyan’s visit includes surging tensions in the Middle East, particularly the ongoing escalation between Israel and Iran. The recent Israeli airstrikes against Iranian targets have not only destabilized the region but also cast a shadow on the South Caucasus, compelling both Armenia and Turkiye to reassess their security priorities. Iran remains a crucial neighbor to both, and the specter of war or refugee spillover is prompting pragmatic cooperation between Ankara and Yerevan.

For Armenia, the stakes are particularly high. Landlocked and economically constrained, the country has traditionally relied on Iran and Georgia as its main corridors to global markets. With both its Turkish and Azerbaijani borders closed for decades, Armenia has had........

© Blitz