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Why Iran’s diplomatic success to its north isn’t replicated to its south

Under President Hassan Rouhani, Iran has managed to greatly improve its relations with its northern neighbors, but why has Iranian diplomacy succeeded in the South Caucasus and Central Asia and not in the Arab Middle East?
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev arrive for their meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, August 8, 2016.  REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool - RTSLUSE
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TEHRAN, Iran — Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, hosted the presidents of Iran and Russia on Aug. 8 for the first trilateral summit of the three countries. The three leaders reached agreements on a range of issues, from efforts to pave the way for the development of the North-South Transit Corridor, to coordinating their fight against terrorism and extremism.

On the bilateral level, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Azerbaijan could also be seen as the beginning of a new era in Baku-Tehran relations. Indeed, among other developments, the Azerbaijani government agreed for the first time to facilitate entry visa issuance for Iranian citizens.

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