Why Azerbaijan doesn’t cancel visa-travel with Turkey and Iran?

“The issue of a visa-free regime between Turkey and Azerbaijan met serious obstacles which even Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul, who recently traveled to Baku, couldn’t solve. Azerbaijan’s authorities say the reason is related to some technical issues. But in fact, this is just an excuse. The real reason, as many experts say, is related to Iran. It’s known that Iran wishes to put forward a visa-free travel with Azerbaijan, while Azerbaijani authorities consider that possible agreement with Turkey on a visa-free regime will make them say “yes” to Iran. And in order not to offer Iran, Azerbaijan keeps in force the visa-travel regime with Turkey,” Azadliq paper reported.

The paper says that this is a possible version; however, it is not even the key reason.

“Evasive position of Baku over the issue of visa-free regime with Turkey and Iran is linked to the economical monopoly. Iran has one-sided canceled visa regime with Azerbaijan, and this caused huge queues at southern checkpoints. Residents from Astara, Yardamly, and other southern regions are in trade relations with Iran. And if the visa regime is canceled by the two countries, then Iranians will storm Azerbaijani market. And this can become a deadly blow at the pro-government oligarchs in Azerbaijan. That is why Azerbaijan’s government doesn’t want to cancel visa-travel with Iran and Turkey,” it said.