Araghchi warns against disruption in transportation in Caucasus region
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday Tehran welcomes a recent peace agreement reached between its two northern neighbors – Armenia and Azerbaijan – which involves the implementation of a transportation corridor project, but warned against any disruption in Iran's access to transportation corridors.
“These routes must not lead to geopolitical changes in the region or disrupt Iran's access to other transportation corridors," the Iranian foreign minister told his Armenian counterpart Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in a phone conversation.
Araghchi reiterated that any decision or measure must fully respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
Referring to some sensitivities related to the issue, the top Iranian diplomat pointed out that observing the considerations related to the stability and security of the region and surrounding countries is a must for any plan or agreement in this field.
Armenia and Azerbaijan on Friday signed the US-mediated peace deal at the White House. The accord includes the creation of a transit corridor through Armenia to connect Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan.
Under the deal, the United States will have development rights to the corridor – dubbed the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" (TRIPP) – in the strategic, resource-rich region.
Iran has for long opposed the idea, saying it would change the geopolitical order of the Southern Caucasus and would restrict Iran’s ability to use transport networks in the region.
During the phone call, Mirzoyan acknowledged the principled position of Iran in respecting Armenia's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its attention to geopolitical sensitivities and regional peace and stability.
He assured Araghchi that Yerevan would consider regional peace, stability, and mutual Iran-Armenia interests when making decisions about transit routes.
On Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that there is a need for vigilance on any foreign military or security intervention in the Caucasus region.
Pezeshkian emphasized the preservation of Armenia's sovereignty and a lack of interference by military or security forces within the framework of the project.