Iran’s Pezeshkian seeks assurances in Armenia as Yerevan, Baku nominate Trump for Nobel
Tehran is concerned that the new Armenia-Azerbaijan corridor, announced in an agreement brokered by Washington earlier this month, threatens its access to regional trade routes and could invite a foreign military presence.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Armenia on Monday for a two-day visit, during which he will meet with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The visit comes on the heels of a controversial land corridor agreement signed on Aug. 8 between Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the presence of US President Donald Trump in Washington. The transport route will establish rail, energy and trucking links from Azerbaijan’s mainland to its Nakhchivan exclave that borders Turkey.
Iran has long opposed the project for fear of losing access to Black Sea trading routes and Russia via Armenia and Georgia. The "Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity" will skirt the full length of Iran’s short border with Armenia. Iran cannot use its 756-kilometer (470-mile) border with Azerbaijan because all of the latter’s land borders remain sealed since the 2020 pandemic.
Adding to Iran’s jitters, an American company is expected to provide security for the trade route. Its presence is intended to preserve Armenia’s territorial integrity while assuring unhindered access for Azerbaijan.
