by Martin Aslan The self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is a country not recognised by the international community. It has been in conflict with Azerbaijan since the end of the Soviet era. Relations between the players in this conflict are complex and sometimes inconsistent. Türkiye, Russia and Iran contribute to complicate the situation: Türkiye supports Azerbaijan, which is close to Israel; Iran supports Christian Armenia; Russia keeps relations of opportunity with all these players. Economic interest seems to be the common link for all of them whereas ideological, religious or historical relations are not. The origins of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Nagorno-Karabakh was an oblast attached to the Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia. Following tensions between Russia and Armenia, the region was allocated to Azerbaijan in 1923. In 1991, following the end of the Soviet era, the republics under Moscow's tutelage gained their independence. Nagorno-Karabakh, with its predom...