Armenia hails ties with Iran after US-brokered peace deal with Azerbaijan
Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a 17-point declaration this month with US President Donald Trump aimed at ending decades of conflict between the two neighbors over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a largely Armenian-populated territory within Azerbaijan.
During a visit to Yerevan made by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he appreciated Iran's 'objective assessments' and support for his nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
'I am confident that Masoud Pezeshkian's visit will bring new energy and quality to Armenian-Iranian relations,' the premier told reporters Tuesday. 'We both agreed that the time has come to work toward elevating our countries' relations to a strategic level.'
Iranian and Armenian officials signed a number of accords on transport and logistics, as well as reviewed freight tariffs, underscoring the push to deepen economic integration. The two countries agreed to build a second bridge over the Aras River and upgrade existing border terminals, while Pashinyan reiterated a goal to triple bilateral trade to $3 billion.
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought wars that killed more than 30,000 people in the early 1990s and at least 6,000 during a 44-day conflict in 2020. In September 2023, Azerbaijan gained full control of Nagorno-Karabakh in a lightning military operation, forcing more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee to Armenia.
While the text of the declaration signed in Washington doesn't carry the legal force of a treaty, it commits both sides to recognizing each other's sovereignty and borders, renounces future territorial claims and prohibits third-party forces along their shared frontier.
As a result of the US-backed talks, the 'Zangezur corridor' was rebranded as the 'Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity' (TRIPP) and is set to be controlled by private companies yet to be chosen. It would link the bulk of Azerbaijan's territory to the Naxcivan exclave, which borders Turkey, across southern Armenia.
Also Read | 'Ended 6 wars in 6 months': Trump repeats claim as he pushes for end to Ukraine, Gaza wars
Although the Iranian Foreign Ministry broadly welcomed the Washington accord, an aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the proposed transit route for which the US would have exclusive development rights.
Pashinyan reaffirmed Tuesday that Armenia would have full control over the Trump route and that it would fall under Armenia's jurisdiction. Leadership in the region should belong to the Caucasus states and that exporting the region's problems to external powers only complicates the situation, Pezeshkian said via a translator in the Armenian capital.
Tehran opposed the route even when talks were mediated by Russia, with the two countries acknowledging that their strategies have aligned in most parts of the world with the exception of the Caucasus.
Russia expressed a cautious welcome for the Trump-mediated route this month, warning Armenia of its responsibilities as part of the Eurasian Economic Union. Russian border guards currently oversee the Iranian-Armenian border along with Armenian troops.
Fitch Ratings said in a report Tuesday that the Aug. 8 declaration was 'a positive step towards a comprehensive deal and reduces the risk of renewed hostilities,' though warned that obstacles remained.
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