At a series of high-profile sessions and forums, Azerbaijani officials continued to refer to the Washington-agreed Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) as the so-called “Zangezur Corridor.” Both parliamentary leaders and President Ilham Aliyev insisted the route is part of Azerbaijan’s strategic vision. First Deputy Chairman of the Milli Majlis Ali Ahmadov praised Aliyev’s leadership and even suggested naming the corridor after him, while Aliyev himself described it as a vital segment of the Middle Corridor linking continents.
In sharp contrast, Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani categorically rejected the notion of any “corridor,” emphasizing that Armenia’s sovereignty will not be compromised and that the agreement text refers only to a road, not a corridor.
Azerbaijani Parliament Pushes to Name Corridor After Aliyev
At an extraordinary session of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis (Parliament), First Deputy Speaker Ali Ahmadov said that the so-called Zangezur Corridor should be named after President Ilham Aliyev. Drawing a parallel with the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan oil pipeline, which bears the name of former President Heydar Aliyev, Ahmadov said: “I believe the Zangezur Corridor—destined to serve Azerbaijan, its people, and the state for many years—should bear the name of President Ilham Aliyev.”
The session, titled “Washington Agreements: A Triumph of Peaceful Diplomacy and Wise Leadership,” focused on Azerbaijan’s recent diplomatic achievements. Ahmadov said Azerbaijan is entering a new stage in its history under President Aliyev’s leadership, not only within the country but also across the wider region. He emphasized the economy, the army, and diplomacy as key indicators of state power, arguing that recent diplomatic successes are deeply connected to Aliyev’s leadership.
He described the Washington meetings as the pinnacle of Azerbaijan’s diplomacy, becoming the basis for international guarantees regarding the so-called Zangezur Corridor (TRIPP) and launching a new chapter in U.S.–Azerbaijan relations. Ahmadov further noted that these agreements would strengthen Azerbaijan’s international economic integration.
Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova echoed these remarks, saying the implementation of the Zangezur Corridor project initiated by Ilham Aliyev serves to expand regional cooperation. Ahmadov added that during the Washington talks, Baku secured an “international guarantee” for the launch of the project and insisted the corridor should therefore be named after Aliyev.
Aliyev Frames Zangezur as Part of Azerbaijan’s Strategic Transit Role
Ignoring Nikol Pashinyan’s objections, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday again described as “Zangezur Corridor” a special transit route for Azerbaijan which the Armenian prime minister pledged to open during a recent summit in Washington.
Speaking at the 13th Meeting of the CICA Think Tank Forum, Azerbaijani President Aliyev also talked about the corridor, referring to it as the Zangezur Corridor and not TRIPP, and as a branch of the Middle Corridor: “Situated along the East-West and North-South corridors, Azerbaijan is emerging as one of the most important transport and logistics hubs in Eurasia. I have no doubt that the Zangezur Corridor, as a branch of the Middle Corridor, will soon serve as a vital transport link connecting the continents. I am confident that all these transport routes will also foster closer cooperation among CICA member states.”
Aliyev appeared to reinforce this alternative narrative at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus Meeting in Tianjin, China, on September 1, 2025, where he said: “I am confident that the Zangezur Corridor will soon become another important segment of the Middle Corridor, as well as the North-South Corridor, which will contribute to enhancing peace, multilateral partnership, and benefit all of Azerbaijan’s close and distant neighbors to the east, west, north, and south of our borders.”
The Washington TRIPP Agreement and Its Fallout
Under the peace deal reached in Washington on August 8, Armenia agreed to grant the United States exclusive rights to a road, railway, and possibly energy supply lines connecting Azerbaijan with its Nakhichevan exclave through Armenia’s Syunik province. Although the route was formally named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), Azerbaijan continues to use the term “Zangezur Corridor,” a designation that is not recognized by the Armenian government.
A joint declaration signed by Aliyev and Pashinyan at the White House on August 8 says only that Armenia will ensure “unhindered communication” between Nakhichevan and the rest of Azerbaijan through its Syunik province. Pashinyan said late last month that Armenian, Azerbaijani, and U.S. officials will meet in September to try to work out details of this arrangement.
Government delegations from Armenia and Azerbaijan met at an undisclosed section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on Friday. The Armenian Foreign Ministry told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service on Tuesday that U.S. officials will visit Yerevan soon for talks on the TRIPP and other issues of mutual interest. It gave no dates for the visit.
Nikol Pashinyan, who also attended the SCO summit, publicly objected to Aliyev’s use of the “corridor” terminology, rejecting what Armenian domestic critics have described as a potential extraterritorial route sought by Baku since the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinyan and other Armenian officials have denied this characterization, stressing that any arrangements will remain under Armenian sovereignty.
Iran Rejects “Corridor” Terminology
Armenia, for its part, has rejected the “corridor” terminology, stressing that any new road and rail links across its territory will remain under Armenian sovereignty and jurisdiction. Echoing this position, Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani told reporters in the Armenian parliament on Tuesday that there will be no “corridor” and that nothing will be forced.
“There is nothing that can be called a ‘corridor,’” Sobhani said, explaining that the route is simply a road.
“There is no mention of a ‘corridor’ in the text of the peace agreement [between Armenia and Azerbaijan], as well as in the signed declaration [with the participation of the US],” the Iranian diplomat added.
