TEHRAN / YEREVAN
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Armenia on Monday for talks over a planned transport corridor linking Azerbaijan, a project Tehran has strongly opposed in recent days.
The corridor—called the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP)—was included in a US-brokered peace agreement signed earlier this month between longtime rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan. The route would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave and run close to Iran’s border.
Washington says the deal not only grants the US exclusive development rights over the corridor but also paves the way for deeper cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan in energy, trade, and advanced technology, including artificial intelligence.
Before departing for Yerevan, Pezeshkian told Iranian state TV that the possible involvement of American companies in the region was “worrying.” He added, “We will raise our concerns directly with Armenian officials.”
Tehran has consistently rejected the project, also known as the Zangezur Corridor, arguing it would isolate Iran from Armenia and the Caucasus while bringing US influence and potentially unfriendly forces to its doorstep.
Since the peace deal was signed on August 8, Iranian officials have intensified warnings, suggesting the corridor may be part of a broader American strategy to expand its dominance in the Caucasus region.
Pezeshkian’s visit to Armenia highlights Tehran’s determination to prevent the project from moving forward and underscores growing geopolitical tensions surrounding the US-backed initiative.
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PRESS UPDATE