He was referring to the historic fact that almost two centuries ago, not only Eran, or what is now known as the Republic of Azerbaijan, but also the whole of today’s Central Asia and the Caucasus were integral part of the Persian Empire.

Mr. Reza’i, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards recalled that Azerbaijan was once one of Iran's periphery provinces, adding that "Azerbaijan was annexed to Russia" following treaties in 1813 and 1828, this one known as the "Turkmanchai Treaty" that ended years of fighting between Iran and the Tsarist Russia.

As Iranian officials from both feuding wings of the leadership continued to support the government’s decision to use military menaces against Baku and engaged in high profile propaganda explaining their position, independent sources criticised Mr. Reza’i’s declarations, blaming it on the "chaotic situation" that characterises the regime’s foreign policy and above all, the foreign Ministry.

"It is not clear on which position Mr. Reza’i has made this otherwise regretful statement that runs against the nation’s vital interests", observed Mr. Mehdi Khalaji, a Paris-based independent Iranian journalist and political commentator.

Noting that important decisions related to the foreign policy are made at the leader’s office and not at the Foreign Ministry, Mr. Khalaji said "unconsidered" statements such as the one made by the former commander of the Revolutionary Guard to the daily "Abrar" highlights the weakness of Iran’s foreign policy.

Mr. Morteza Negahi, a California-based Iranian journalist, columnist and travel writer of Azeri ethnic said all the parties interested or involved in the Caspian Sea region, including Iran and Azerbaijan "more or less welcome" the tension between Iran and neighbouring Azerbaijan.

Observing the inner fight between the ruling conservatives and the reformists in the one hand and the coincidence of the tension with the oath taking of Mr. Khatami due this week, Mr. Negahi said the tense situation in the Caspian
might not displease neither of the Islamic Republic or its Azeri neighbour".

Tehran and Baku went to the brink of war last week after Iranian gunboat and warplanes menaced an Azeri hired, British Petroleum owned oil research ship to stop activities in an area that both Iran and Azerbaijan claims to be part of their territorial waters.

BP stopped work and ordered the ship back to port after consultation with the Azeri officials.

Though Baku backed off and President Heydar Aliyev ordered the creation of a special Committee to look into the incident as well as assessing Iran-Azerbaijan relations, yet Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev told AFP last week that his country would not give in to Iran's claims. "We will not get into a war but we will stand up for our rights", he said.

At the heart of the dispute is the confusion over the legal status of the Caspian Sea, with Iran insisting on either an equal sharing of the waters and its vast oil and gas resources between the littoral states or the continuation of past agreements signed with the now defunct Soviet Union in the one and the others, which, with the exception of Russia that plays a dual game, have already divided the Sea between themselves according to the length of their respective shores.

"Iran is determined to defend its interests in the Caspian Sea, on the basis of agreements reached with the former Soviet Union", the Iranian foreign minister added, as Iran’s Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said Tehran was "ready to pursue dialogue" with Azerbaijan on the Caspian Sea issue, reiterating that Iran "wants a legitimate solution between the neighbouring countries".

Speaking at a conference held Sunday at the Central Office of the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), Mrs. Koula’i accused the Azeri government to "work hard to bring the U.S. to the region, an idea that contravenes the international law".

"Azerbaijan Republic is treading the wrong path by fomenting tension in the Caspian region. Tension in the Caspian Sea will benefit none of the Caspian states", she observed.

He said that the Azerbaijan Republic is politicising the Caspian Sea affairs to bring foreign powers to the Caspian Sea including the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which seeks the goal of Eastward expansion.