Moscow Aware of Iran's Concerns Regarding the 'Zangezur Corridor' - Zakharova

Moscow is aware of the concerns expressed by Iranian officials regarding the construction of the so-called 'Zangezur Corridor'. This was stated by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, during a press briefing, commenting on Iran's repeated position regarding the unacceptability of a transit corridor from Azerbaijan's main territory to Nakhchivan through the territory of Armenia.

According to Zakharova, to clarify the reasons behind the Iranian side's approach, one should directly address Tehran. She added that Moscow's stance on the unblocking of communications between Yerevan and Baku is well known.

“The Russian Federation believes that the relevant agreements should be implemented with mutual consent and acceptable conditions, so that it aligns with the interests of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as neighboring countries in the region—Russia, Iran, and Turkey,” emphasized the diplomat.

Earlier, the Russian co-chair of the trilateral commission on the unblocking of communications and demarcation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, stated that the roads must be under the sovereignty of the countries through which they pass.

In turn, Tehran has repeatedly stated its opposition to the opening of a transit corridor through Armenian territory. As the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, mentioned during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the end of July, Tehran still believes that the idea of the 'Zangezur Corridor' does not correspond to Armenia's interests. Khamenei stressed the importance of Armenia's territorial integrity and noted that Armenian-Iranian relations will develop based on mutual interests, regardless of the politics of other countries.