YEREVAN. – Russia may use Armenia to put pressure on Iran, Iranian-Armenian journalist and analyst Rubik Minasian stated at a press conference on Monday.

“Despite the quite close economic relations with Moscow, Iran expresses a readiness for rapprochement with Europe,” he added.

In Minasian’s words, the new phase in the talks between official Tehran and the six world powers over Iran’s nuclear program attest to the aforesaid.

“Europe’s wish to reduce the [natural] gas dependency on [official] Moscow is at the basis of these talks. To this end, Iran may become the new gas partner of Brussels,” the Iranian-Armenian analyst noted. 

He also stated that the Iran-Turkey gas pipeline, with the prospect of a Iran-Turkey-Europe project, can now be operated.

“If this project is carried out, major changes will be expected in the region. Russia, however, will hinder the development of such events.

“The main peril for Armenia is that it will become a tool for Kremlin in the fight against Iran,” Rubik Minasian concluded.