by David O’Byrne The resumption of wide-ranging American sanctions on Iran promises economic uncertainty for the Islamic Republic’s neighbors in the Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. Washington’s goal of reducing Iran’s oil exports to zero will not directly impact any… Continue Reading
by Maximilian Hess The Turkish Lira two weeks ago ended one of the most turbulent weeks in its history, settling uneasily at six to the dollar. Turkey’s borrowing spree and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s insistence on low interest rates hastened the lira’s… Continue Reading
by Grigor Atanesian Armenia’s National Assembly voted overwhelmingly to install Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister on April 17, ignoring protestors calling for the former president to step aside. On the fifth day of demonstrations, thousands rallied in Yerevan, shutting down the… Continue Reading
by Giorgi Lomsadze Azerbaijan’s presidential election was, as predicted, a non-event. Ever-incumbent leader Ilham Aliyev won his fourth consecutive term with an 86 percent landslide, while his token rivals got crumbs of voter support – in the low single digits –… Continue Reading
by Joshua Kucera Azerbaijan’s president has claimed that large parts of Armenia’s territory are Azerbaijan’s “historic lands,” vowing to return to them. The fraught assertion threatens to derail any progress, however slight, in peace talks between the two countries in… Continue Reading