"We will prioritize strengthening relations with neighbors," Masoud Pezeshkian stated in an op ed shortly after his election as Iran’s new president in July. Armenia and Azerbaijan, two northwestern neighbors of Iran, are watching closely to see how a Reformist president may influence the Islamic Republic's regional approach. This is particularly given that Tehran's relatively high-profile involvement in the South Caucasus began during the previous conservative administration of late Ebrahim Raisi (2021-24).

Even before Pezeshkian took office last month, Azerbaijan and Iran managed to set aside most of their not-so-subtle rancor following three years of historically low relations. In June, the two neighbors launched joint military drills, which would be unimaginable just a year prior. A month later, Baku reopened its embassy in...