Iran’s Ambassador Discusses Stance on the ‘Zangezur Corridor’

The Armenian-Iranian cooperation is rooted in centuries of friendship, and the future is also clear, said Mehdi Sobhani, the Iranian ambassador to Armenia, during a statement in Kapan. He emphasized that no one can influence the relations between the two countries, according to Public Radio of Armenia.

Addressing Iran’s stance on the ‘Zangezur Corridor,’ Mehdi Sobhani stated that Tehran is opposed to anything that resembles a corridor. “We do not wish to use this term. We agree to the opening of communications only if it occurs on the basis of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia. Furthermore, we are against anything that has a corridor-based logic. We oppose any geopolitical changes,” he noted, as reported by Armenpress.

Yerevan and Baku have been negotiating for four years regarding the unblocking of transport communications, but without results. The Armenian side is against the corridor-based logic, while Azerbaijan, over these years, has demanded a passage through Syunik to its exclave Nakhichevan by using the term ‘Zangezur Corridor’ without checks. It is these disagreements that led to the issue being mutually excluded from the peace treaty in August.

During an expert workshop titled “Armenia-Iran: Cooperation and Prospects,” the ambassador emphasized that Tehran welcomes Armenia's “Peace Crossroad” initiative, but believes that any unblocking must occur under the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and control of the respective country. He stated that the border between Armenia and Iran is a boundary of friendship.