Արցախյան հակամարտության ընկալումն ԻԻՀ ներքին խոսույթում՝ քառօրյայից մինչև քառասունչորսօրյա պատերազմ (2016-2020 թթ.)

Abstract

The examination of the views, analysis, and positions in the internal discourse of the IRI on the Artsakh conflict is important from the point of view of understanding the logic forming this country's approaches to the conflict. The approaches of policy-making institutions and various political parties are reflected in internal discourse through the views of individuals associated with them and through the main media resources. During the military operations in 2016, the elements of a "positive approach" to the Artsakh Republic prevailed in Iran’s internal discourse. These days, the Iranian discourse is also more homogeneous in terms of its approaches to the conflict. In terms of the opinions expressed and the publications made during the war in 2020, the differences in the approaches of the decision-making institutions were quite noticeable. Particularly, the Foreign Ministry was promoting a policy of "active neutrality" and "mediation" when in parallel the military power structures (especially ICRC) were more focused on activities aimed at security targets. The article discusses the above-mentioned peculiarities both in the context of the dynamics of changing the perception of the Artsakh conflict in the internal discourse, as well as in the context of its place in IRI's foreign policy and IRI-Armenia relations.