TEHRAN — Armenia firmly considers the existence of any extraterritorial corridor unacceptable, Armenia’s Ambassador to Iran, Arsen Avakyan, stated in an interview with ISNA in Tehran.
“We emphasize that any communication routes must be under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the respective country and operate based on the principles of equality and reciprocity. This position is reflected in the ‘Crossroads of Peace’ program. These considerations regarding Armenia have not only been fully understood in Iran, but public statements from Tehran at the highest level continue to stress the need for unconditional respect for Armenia’s territorial integrity and the inviolability of its borders,” Avakyan noted in the interview.
According to him, Armenia is prepared to fully guarantee the safety of goods, vehicles, and people moving through its territory.
“Official Yerevan has repeatedly stated its readiness to ensure communication between Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan, precisely under the terms proposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. I would also like to highlight the speech by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, where he emphasized that claims that Armenia has agreed to third-party control over the security of communications on its territory are simply distortions of reality,” Avakyan added.
The ambassador also stressed that one of the key guarantees for establishing peace and stability in the region is the unblocking of transport and economic infrastructure, which is a priority for the Armenian government.
Avakyan touched upon the proposal to consider the “Aras Communication Road” as an alternative to the so-called “Zangezur Corridor.” He again referred to the “Crossroads of Peace” project presented by the Armenian government, which aims to unblock economic communications, enhance the transit potential of regional countries, and foster new connections to establish long-term and stable peace.
Avakyan highlighted the warm relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which are based on good neighborliness.
“For Armenia, strengthening and deepening relations with Iran is of particular importance. This objective is also mentioned in the 2021-2026 four-year plan of the Armenian government. We can confidently say that there is the necessary political will and preparation from both sides to deepen these relations as much as possible,” the ambassador said.
“Yerevan believes that, with the cooperation of Iran’s 14th government, new and more ambitious programs can be planned alongside the implementation of previous agreements,” he concluded.
İlk yorum yapan siz olun