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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed strong opposition to Russia’s support for the opening of the Zangezur Corridor in the South Caucasus, calling any redrawing of borders a “red line” for Iran.
Araghchi posted on X, stating, “Any threat from the North, South, East, or West to the territorial integrity of our neighbors or redrawing of boundaries is totally unacceptable and a red line for Iran.”
His reaction follows recent discussions between Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the establishment of a transport corridor, known as the Zangezur Corridor, which would link Azerbaijan’s western regions to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Azerbaijan and Armenia are currently working to sign a peace treaty to end a decades-long dispute over the Karabakh enclave, over which they fought two wars in the 1990s and 2020. Baku recaptured the region in a one-day offensive last September.
Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, voiced support for the opening of the corridor, emphasizing the need for a swift peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan and the unblocking of regional communication.
Lavrov’s statements were reinforced by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who stressed at a press conference that “Moscow’s stance on opening the corridor is clear.” She added that the solution must be acceptable to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the region’s neighbors.
The potential opening of the Zangezur Corridor has raised concerns for Iran, as it would cut off its border with Armenia and disrupt the current transit route between Iran and Europe via Armenia. This could force Iran to rely on Turkey and Azerbaijan for its trade routes, diminishing its strategic access to European markets.
The Zangezur Corridor is a transportation concept gradually being implemented to secure Azerbaijan’s access to the Nakhchivan exclave while bypassing Armenia. However, it remains a contentious issue in peace talks.
Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, also criticized Russia’s stance, stating, “The behavior of Russian statesmen regarding the Zangezur Corridor and Iran’s three islands is unacceptable and contradicts their declared friendship and strategic relations with Iran.”
Earlier, in a meeting on July 30, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, warned Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan against the establishment of the corridor, calling it contrary to Iran’s interests.
