Analyst: TRIPP concerns played role in U.S. decision on Iran

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s upcoming visit to the South Caucasus will mark “an important milestone in advancing American geopolitical interests”, Armenian political analyst Suren Sargsyan claims.

“This is natural regional geopolitical competition, and at this stage the advantage is on the U.S. side,” Sargsyan wrote on Facebook on Tuesday, adding that Washington’s gains often come “at the expense of the weakest link in the region.”

Sargsyan argued that the U.S.-backed TRIPP project currently secures a business presence in the South Caucasus but could evolve into “an American strategic presence, something that has never existed before.”

He noted that the decision not to strike Iran “at least until now” was partly driven by concerns that it could undermine TRIPP’s implementation or delay its timeline.