Tehran opposes "Trump route" through Armenia

ArmInfo.  During  a meeting with Armenian Ambassador Grigor Hakobyan, Ali Akbar Velayati, Senior Adviser on International Affairs to the Supreme Leader of the  Islamic Revolution, said that the so-called "Trump plan" for the  Caucasus is effectively the same as  the so-called "Zangezur  Corridor" project, adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran  categorically opposes this initiative.

He stated that Iran had opposed the "Zangezur Corridor" (the route  through Armenia's Syunik - ed.) from the outset, as Tehran rejects  any changes to regional borders and is wary of  threats to its  security.

According to the Iranian official, the corridor could enablede a NATO  presence north of Iran, posing serious security threats to northern  Iran and southern Russia. He added that the "Trump plan" is  essentially the same project, with only a different name, and is now  being pursued through the entry of U.S.  companies into Armenia.

Velayati said that the United States has a history of entering  sensitive regions through projects presented as economic initiatives,  but that such involvement gradually expanded into military and  security dimensions.  Ambassador Hakobyan, for his part, described  relations with Iran as strategic and said expanding ties with Tehran  was a top priority of Armenia's foreign policy.

It is worth noting that the Armenian Embassy's statement regarding  this meeting did not mention the Iranian side's dissatisfaction with  the routes through southern Armenia. The Armenian Embassy's statement  reported that the interlocutors emphasized the historical and  strategic nature of bilateral relations and their mutual desire to  further strengthen them. The Ambassador presented the latest  developments in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.  Velayati welcomed efforts aimed at normalizing relations between the  two neighboring states and promoting regional stability.