ISLAMABAD: Monitoring Desk – President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday underscored importance of addressing Iran’s concerns regarding recent regional developments, particularly in light of the recent agreement signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the US.Iran has long opposed the planned transit route, also known as the Zangezur corridor, fearing it would cut the country off from Armenia and the rest of the Caucasus while bringing potentially hostile foreign forces close to its borders.
Since the deal was signed on August 8, Iranian officials have stepped up warnings to Armenia, saying the project could be part of a US ploy “to pursue hegemonic goals in the Caucasus region”.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has assured that Iran’s considerations will be taken into account in the construction of a new corridor and expressed Armenia’s readiness to finalize a strategic long-term cooperation agreement with Iran.
Pashinyan told Iranian President that a planned corridor linking Azerbaijan with its exclave would be under Armenian control, days after Iran said it would block the project included in a United States-brokered peace accord that puts a potential Washington presence on its doorstep.
“Roads passing through Armenia will be under the exclusive jurisdiction of Armenia, and security will be provided by Armenia, not by any third country,” Pashinyan said in the meeting with Pezeshkian. He added that the corridor would open new economic perspectives between the two countries, and could offer a rail route from Iran to the Black Sea coast through Armenia.
In a joint meeting of high-ranking delegations from Iran and Armenia in Yerevan on Tuesday, President Pezeshkian reiterated Iran’s consistent desire for stability and peace in the Caucasus region and emphasized the importance of considering Iran’s concerns in light of new developments.
“Governance in the Caucasus region must remain Caucasian – outsourcing the resolution of Caucasus issues to extra-regional forces will complicate it,” Pezeshkian said during his visit on Tuesday. “Iran’s position has always been to reject any changes to international borders in the Caucasus region.”
The land corridor, dubbed the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP), is part of a deal signed this month in Washington between former foes Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Under the agreement, the US will hold development rights for the proposed route, which would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave bordering Iran and Turkey.
The Iranian president expressed the Islamic Republic’s serious commitment to maintaining a close relationship with Armenia. He announced Iran’s readiness to expedite the finalization and signing of a strategic long-term cooperation plan between the two nations.
He also highlighted that relations and cooperation between Iran and Armenia are expanding across all sectors, stressing the need for increased communication and consultations between officials from both countries to overcome obstacles and challenges in achieving their mutual goals and implementing existing agreements.
Pezeshkian pointed out the deep historical, cultural, and civilizational ties between Iran and Armenia, which provide a strong foundation for enhancing cooperation based on mutual interests.
In response, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed satisfaction with President Pezeshkian’s visit and reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to maintaining its friendly and historical relations with Iran. He noted that Tehran and Yerevan possess diverse capacities that should be leveraged to serve the interests of both countries.
Pashinyan also highlighted the strategic importance of the shared border with Iran for Armenia, stating that cooperation with Tehran, grounded in good neighborliness and the enhancement of friendly relations, is of paramount importance.
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