Nournews: Every year, with a new justification and involving regional, particularly neighboring countries, the series of revival and construction of a corridor on the border of Iran and Armenia is launched. However, this series, which every year has a new episode, is taken down from the screen after Iran clearly emphasizes the need to end this show.
The examination of the scenario of this series, its players, and their roles is helpful in marking Iran’s red lines for other countries and displaying how these claims end.
Vladimir Putin’s trip to the Republic of Azerbaijan and his meeting with this country’s president, Ilham Aliyev, marked the beginning of the series. After Putin returned home, Sergei Lavrov, his Foreign Minister, said, "We are looking for a rapid peace pact between Baku and Yerevan to end the block of communication. The Armenian government is disrupting such a deal. Unfortunately, it is the leadership of Armenia that is obstructing an agreement signed by Prime Minister Pashinyan to establish a connection through the Syunik province."
The term "block of communication" used by Lavrov once again brought the Zangezur issue to the headlines. Although the Putin-Aliyev deal has not been recognized, this claim is a cause for concern for Tehran.
Reviewing the Baku-Yerevan conflict
Azerbaijan-Yerevan ties have been among the most conflicting ones between two neighbors. The two countries have been experiencing many conflicts over the years, from the Karabakh war to Nakhichevan’s autonomy region, and now, a new case called Zangezur.
The Zangezur corridor is a project that the Republic of Azerbaijan has been working on since the second Karabakh war in 2020 to establish a connection with the Nakhichevan autonomy region through Armenia's Syunik province.
The corridor is 40 kilometers long and 5 meters wide, situated precisely on the Iran-Armenia border. The construction of this corridor is not feasible for many reasons. However, understanding why there is insistence on the continuation of this conflict and identifying its players can help clarify the importance of the issue, as well as inform Iran's strategic decision-making.
After taking control of parts of Karabakh in a one-day war in 2023, the Republic of Azerbaijan requested access to the Nakhichevan autonomy region in a truce deal signed in Moscow. Although the request was officially recognized in the deal, it was not through the construction of a corridor or the revival of a new tunnel and border changes, but rather via Iran’s established 30-year path. Despite this, Baku is insistent on constructing a new route in the region without providing logical or acceptable reasons.
Meanwhile, following its recent failures and bitter historical experiences, Yerevan believes that any new path and any form of direct or indirect control by Azerbaijan or any other country would mark the start of a domino effect, leading to the disruption of Yerevan’s territorial integrity and potentially the loss of its southern regions.
Why is Zangezur Iran’s red line?
Although border stabilization and an emphasis on their immutability have been announced as a stabilizing strategic principle by Iran, in this particular case, altering the northern borders could jeopardize Iran’s national and economic interests.
Iran’s access to the Southern Caucasus, and from there to Europe, as well as its access to Georgia and the Black Sea, would be severed. Therefore, no country would allow its connection with other countries to be cut, and Iran is no exception.
The corridor would destroy the Iran-Armenia border. However, the issue is even more complex. Many have testified that Zangezur is not merely a corridor. It would become a hub for economic trade, making its security a priority. The Republic of Azerbaijan would not accept Azerbaijan's supervision and guardianship over this corridor on its soil. Thus, securing the corridor’s safety would turn into a new conflict, inviting foreign forces back into the region. The West, particularly the US, is eager to be present near Iran's borders.
The establishment of such a corridor in a region rich in oil and gas reserves makes the creation of energy pipelines inevitable. Increased economic activity would lead to the construction of infrastructure, including a network of optical and communication fibers. All of this demonstrates that it is not merely a pathway, but something that would impact the region’s economic, legal, and geopolitical infrastructures. Controlling such extensive changes at the country’s borders without adhering to the rule of law is unacceptable for Tehran.
Iran’s reactions to claims about the Zangezur corridor
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, has reiterated Tehran’s firm opposition to any geopolitical changes in his meetings with officials from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, and Russia. Reflecting this stance, Mojtaba Damirchelou, aide to Iran’s foreign minister, conveyed Iran's objections during an early meeting with the Russian ambassador to Tehran.
He emphasized that respect for territorial integrity, mutual national interests, and sovereignty is essential for lasting peace and regional cooperation in the Caucasus. Tehran remains steadfast in its opposition to any alterations to borders or geopolitical landscapes.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Mohsen Rezai (a member of the Expediency Council), Mehdi Sahabi (Iran’s ambassador to Yerevan), and Ebrahim Azizi (a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee in Iran’s parliament) have all publicly expressed Iran's disagreement with the establishment of the Zangezur Corridor.
NOURNEWS