He could not rely on the Christian Armenian potentates of Transcaucasia, since they were branded as heretics by the Orthodox Church, and even the king of Iberia preferred to befriend the religiously tolerant Persians.
He could not rely on the Christian Armenian leaders of Transcaucasia because they were seen as outcasts by the Orthodox Church, and even the ruler of Iberia chose to form alliances with the more open-minded Persians.