TEHRAN: Iran will not permit the establishment of a US-backed corridor connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave, declared Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The proposed route, part of a peace deal signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia, has drawn sharp criticism from Tehran.
Velayati warned the corridor would threaten security in the South Caucasus, calling it “an impossible notion and will not happen.”
He further stated the area would become “a graveyard for Trump’s mercenaries,“ signalling Iran’s strong opposition.
The corridor, also known as the Zangezur route, risks isolating Iran from Armenia and the wider Caucasus region.
Iran has conducted military drills near the border to demonstrate its readiness to protect its interests.
While Tehran welcomed the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement, it expressed concerns over foreign interference near its borders.
The foreign ministry cautioned that external involvement could destabilise regional security.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have a long history of conflict, particularly over the disputed Karabakh region.
Azerbaijan’s 2023 offensive reclaimed Karabakh, displacing over 100,000 ethnic Armenians.
A White House official framed the deal as a strategic win for Armenia, aligning it with the US.
The official, speaking anonymously, claimed China, Russia, and Iran were the “losers” in the agreement.
Iran’s stance underscores its determination to counter perceived Western influence in the region.
The dispute highlights ongoing geopolitical tensions in the South Caucasus. – AFP