Azernews.Az

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Iran’s policy in Central Asia is directed against Azerbaijan, APA reports quoting the U.S. Congressional report.
"Iran’s policy in Central Asia has thus far emphasized Iran’s rights to Caspian Sea resources, particularly against Azerbaijan", said Kenneth Katzman, American specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs in US Congressional Research Service’s last report on "Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses" issue.
The report was prepared for Members and Committees of the U.S. Congress.
Mr. Katzman recalled when back in July 2001 Iranian warships and combat aircraft threatening a British Petroleum ship on contract to Azerbaijan, off the Iran’s territorial waters in the Caspian Sea.
"The United States called that action provocative, and it is engaged in border security and defense cooperation with Azerbaijan directed against Iran (and Russia). The United States successfully backed construction of the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, intended in part to provide alternatives to Iranian oil".
According to the Congressional report, the Obama Administration has not changed the Bush Administration’s branding Iran as a "profound threat to U.S. national security interests," a perception generated not only by Iran’s nuclear program, but also by its covert military assistance to armed groups in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine amd Lebanon. "Many in the Obama Administration view Iran, as the Bush Administration did, as one of and perhaps the key national security challenges facing the United States".
The reporter thinks that Iran’s armed forces are still extensive but they are widely considered relatively combat ineffective against a well-trained, sophisticated military such as that of the United States or a regional power such as Turkey.
He considers that mistrust between the United States and Iran’s Islamic regime has run deep for almost three decades. Some argue that, no matter who is in power in Tehran, the United States and Iran have a common long-term interest in stability in the Persian Gulf and South Asia regions.