Iran has reportedly urged Russia to stop advocating for a land corridor that would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave via Armenia’s Syunik province. According to Tasnim, an Iranian news agency with ties to the Revolutionary Guards, Tehran has expressed dissatisfaction with Moscow’s stance on the so-called “Zangezur Corridor,” adding new weight to the issue following a strong statement from Iran’s Foreign Minister earlier today.
The statement voiced strong opposition to any changes in internationally recognized borders in the South Caucasus, underscoring that threats to the territorial integrity of its neighbors or attempts to redraw borders are “totally unacceptable” and a “red line” for Tehran.
In an article published on Wednesday, Tasnim highlighted recent comments made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who accused Armenia of “sabotaging” a Russian-brokered agreement to open the corridor. These remarks have further strained relations between Moscow and Yerevan, but Iran has now entered the fray with a more assertive tone.
“Regional peace, security, and stability are not merely preferences, but pillars of our national security. 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,” stated Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on his X page earlier today. The statement serves as a direct and clear signal to Moscow and Baku that Iran will not tolerate any changes to the geopolitical landscape of the region that compromise the territorial integrity of Armenia or other neighbors.
Tasnim’s report emphasized that Tehran has consistently opposed the creation of any corridor connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan through Armenian territory, a move seen as threatening the region’s delicate balance of power. “According to informed sources, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow has recently voiced Tehran’s protest against the Russian Foreign Ministry’s stance on the ‘Zangezur corridor,'” wrote Tasnim. “In Iran, experts have advised Russia to bear in mind that Tehran is opposed to the creation of any corridor whatever that would connect Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan through Armenia, saying Russians should not be surprised to hear about Iran’s legitimate, clear, and unchanging views on this issue.”
The article emphasized that no country in the South Caucasus should gain a geopolitical advantage over “the others” and cautioned Moscow against using the “Zangezur Corridor” as leverage to resolve its disputes with Armenia.
Earlier this week, Mojtaba Demirchilou, a senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official, met with Russia’s ambassador to Tehran to discuss “ongoing developments in the Caucasus.” During the meeting, Demirchilou reiterated Iran’s firm opposition to any “geopolitical changes” in the region. “The Iranian diplomat also stressed the need to take into consideration the legitimate concerns and interests of all countries in the region,” a statement from the ministry added.
Russian officials maintain that the November 2020 ceasefire, which ended the war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), obliges Yerevan to guarantee “the security of transport links” between Nakhichevan and mainland Azerbaijan through Syunik. However, Armenia and Azerbaijan remain divided over the practical details. Baku demands that people and goods traveling between Nakhichevan and Azerbaijan be exempt from Armenian border controls, which Yerevan rejects, citing concerns over Armenia’s territorial integrity.
Syunik, which is the only Armenian region bordering Iran, has long been of strategic importance to Tehran. Iran views the proposed “Zangezur Corridor” not only as a threat to Armenian sovereignty but also to its own access to Armenia, which serves as a key gateway to Europe. The creation of the corridor, demanded by Baku and fully supported by Turkey, would sever Iran’s direct land connection with Armenia, further escalating Tehran’s concerns. During a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in July, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that such a corridor would be “detrimental to Armenia.”
Tasnim’s report also pointed out that this corridor would sever Iran’s only and direct border with Armenia, closing “one of Iran’s gateways to Europe.” The agency further warned that Russia’s support for the corridor could strain its strategic ties with Tehran, stating, “Russia has also been advised to avoid taking measures that may impair the strategic relations between Moscow and Tehran because the idea of the “Zangezur corridor” will create a new flashpoint near the very delicate boundaries of northwestern Iran.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova acknowledged Iran’s concerns last week but did not elaborate further. Russian officials have previously assured that the proposed transport links would not undermine Armenian sovereignty over Syunik. However, in January, Lavrov suggested that Russia envisions “neutral border and customs control” for the movement of people, vehicles, and goods through the region.
