Iran, Armenia deepen cooperation following ‘Trump Corridor’ agreement

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan on Tuesday.

The meeting took place after Azerbaijan and Armenia reached an agreement, mediated by the US, to implement the route known as the “Zangezur Corridor.”

At the end of the visit, 10 memorandums of understanding were signed between the two countries, covering cooperation in areas such as politics, industry, transportation, and health.

According to a statement from the Iranian Presidency, the talks in Yerevan, the first stop on Pezeshkian’s tour of post-Soviet countries, focused on enhancing bilateral relations.

The visit occurred under the shadow of the August 8 agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, a deal that has raised concerns in Tehran.

Second bridge over the Aras River and new railway project

Ahead of Pezeshkian’s visit, Iranian Urban Development Minister Farzaneh Sadegh made significant statements to the Tasnim news agency.

Sadegh announced that a preliminary agreement had been reached for the construction of a second bridge over the Aras River on the Armenia-Iran border following intergovernmental talks. “This bridge will facilitate the work of cargo carriers and create a comprehensive transit package,” Sadegh said.

The minister also emphasized the special importance given to developing the international railway project that will connect the Iranian city of Jolfa to Yerevan via Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan region.

This project is expected to provide Armenia with a rail link to the Persian Gulf and Iran with a connection to the Black Sea.

Announcing another economic development, Iranian Minister of Industry and Trade Mohammad Atabek stated that tariffs on 87% of products in bilateral trade between Iran and Armenia have been eliminated.

This step aims to increase the trade volume between the two countries from $1 billion to $3 billion in 2024.

Pashinyan’s assurance to Tehran, Pezeshkian’s warning against ‘non-regional powers’

Speaking at a joint press conference, Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan thanked Pezeshkian for his “objective assessment” of the agreements he signed with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Washington.

Pashinyan assured Tehran that all communication lines passing through Armenia would be exclusively under Yerevan’s jurisdiction and that their security would be ensured by the Armenian side.

Pashinyan underlined that the opening of transportation routes with Azerbaijan will create new opportunities for regional countries to cooperate with Iran.

Iranian President Pezeshkian stated that Iran and Armenia have common interests in developing transit routes.

Noting that the growth of border trade could realize the potential of both countries, Pezeshkian said, “Handing over the problems in the South Caucasus to non-regional powers will complicate the situation and create new problems for all countries.”

Russian expert warns of ‘US military presence’

The agreement reached between Aliyev and Pashinyan in Washington, named the “Trump Corridor for International Peace and Prosperity,” includes Yerevan granting exclusive rights to Americans for 99 years to develop the route.

Iran opposes granting this route an extraterritorial status, fearing it could sever its land connection with Armenia.

Vladimir Sazin, a senior researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies, told the Vedomosti daily that Iranian officials wanted to learn about the Armenian leadership’s intentions during their visit to Yerevan.

According to Sazin, the agreement concerns Tehran for both economic and political reasons. Stating that the opening of the route will reduce Iran’s logistical importance, Sazin said, “It appears that the security of this route will be provided by American private military companies consisting of retired American soldiers. Theoretically, these could pose a threat to the security of the Islamic Republic.”

Murad Sadygzade, head of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, noted that Iran and Armenia are focusing on economic cooperation due to increasing geopolitical uncertainties.

Sadygzade remarked that Iranian entrepreneurs under sanctions can conduct their economic activities with the outside world through Armenia, which is why Tehran benefits from cooperation with Yerevan.