Thursday, June 24 2021 16:23

ArmInfo.Iran reiterated the inadmissibility of changing the borders of regional states by force.

Thus, the Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Seyyed Abbas Mousavi  in  an interview with Turan to clarify what is Tehran's position on the  opening of a transport corridor through the Syunik region of Armenia,  noted that different opinions on this issue may be heard in Iran.

"The statement of the Supreme Leader of Iran clearly states that Iran  is against changing borders, not against opening this corridor. I do  not think that anyone in the region is for the violent change of  borders. We are for any corridors, on any routes, without changes of  borders of states. Opening of this corridor is a question of  Azerbaijan and Armenia. A violent, military change of borders would  violate stability in the region, and so far, no prospects for this  are visible.  President Aliyev's proposal to restore railways in the  region will help restore ties and cooperation between Armenia and  Azerbaijan, and will also benefit the entire region. Therefore, the  countries of the South Caucasus, as well as Russia, Turkey and Iran  should in every possible way stimulate the opening of iron,  automobile and other communications between themselves, "the diplomat  said.  When asked how it would be possible to restore the corridor if  Iran has built the Khudaferin and Gyz Galasy reservoirs on the Araks  River, which flooded several kilometers of the railway line between  Azerbaijan and Nakhijevan, the Ambassador said that the other day the  Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran, together with the  Deputy Premier of Azerbaijan visited these places.

"These structures were built during the period when the specified  territory was under occupation, but they were built on the basis of a  bilateral agreement with Azerbaijan. To solve the specified problem  (flooding of the railway), a Working Group has been created that will  prepare a technical proposal on connecting the road to the Iranian  railway system, "the diplomat said.

At the same time, he pointed to the extreme importance of these water  reservoirs, given the shortage of water in the region, and noted that  Iran and Azerbaijan jointly use this water for irrigation, as well as  the electricity generated at the hydroelectric power station.

Mousafi also announced the readiness of Iranian private and  semi-state companies to participate in restoration work in the  territories that came under the control of Azerbaijan after the  latest war in the Karabakh conflict zone.  "For our entrepreneurs,  this is more a desire to provide moral support than to receive  economic benefits and take part in the restoration of Karabakh and  other territories.  Speaking specifically, Iranian companies are  ready to take part in the implementation of infrastructure projects:   the construction of roads, bridges, settlements. We are currently  awaiting a response from the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, "the  Iranian ambassador explained.

Clarifying whether Iran supports the transport project initiated by  India on a transport corridor through Iran to Armenia and further to  Europe, the diplomat stressed that any transport corridors connecting  the states are beneficial to the countries of the region, but we must  look at which one is more profitable.  "Today the most profitable and  real is the North-South corridor between Iran and Azerbaijan. The  railways of the two countries are already connected and goods from  the Persian Gulf through Iran and Azerbaijan can be transported to  the North to Europe. We do not reject other corridors, but we  consider the most optimal corridor North-South, which consists of  three components - railway, road and sea links. The hub of this  corridor is the city of Astara, where all transport infrastructures  are connected. A new bridge will be built between the two countries,  after which the transport capacity will significantly increase.   After the restoration of the railway through Nakhichevan and the  connection of the railway between the Iranian point of Parsabad and  the Azerbaijani point of Imishli, the traffic volumes will increase  significantly. Considering all this, I do not think that any other  corridor can become an alternative to this, "Mousafi summed up.