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18 December, 11:12
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Senior Iranian official rejects US involvement in TRIPP road in S. Caucasus

A senior Iranian official has criticized the Trump Route (TRIPP) connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave via Armenia.

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, said on Monday Iran opposes the Trump Route, known as Zangezur Corridor in Azerbaijan, as Tehran rejects any shifts to regional borders. During the meeting with Armenian ambassador to Iran, Grigor Hakobyan, Velayati said Iran is concerned over recent regional developments, particularly in the South Caucasus. Velayati argued that the corridor would bring outside forces to the region and secure NATO’s and Washington’s position in the South Caucasus. Velayati stated that the United States has a record of gaining access to sensitive regions under the guise of economic projects, which over time evolve into military and security involvement.

In turn, Ambassador Hakobyan, described Yerevan-Tehran ties as strategic and said expanding ties with Tehran was a top priority of Armenia’s foreign policy.

Velayati further contended that the route could allow a NATO presence north of Iran, creating significant security threats for both northern Iran and southern Russia.

Following the August 2025 Washington summit, at which the Trump Route agreement was reached, Iranian officials issued a series of seemingly inconsistent statements about Iran’s position on the project.

In turn, Armenian Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Ruben Rubinyan responded to Tehran’s concerns, stating hat Yerevan “takes Iran’s sensitivities into account, and their interests are duly considered.”

The opening of the TRIPP road is part of the initial peace declaration signed between Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in the White House on August 8. Under the deal, the Armenian part of the road will be leased to a US consortium for the period of 99 years under Armenia’s sovereignty. Iran has for many years opposed the corridor connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave via Armenia’s southern Syunik region bordering Iran. Tehran believes the corridor will impede Iran’s access to Armenia. Moreover, Tehran has repeatedly voiced opposition to the US and NATO’s involvement in the South Caucasus region. During his official visit to Armenia in August, Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian reject Washington’s involvement in the project, stressing that the Caucasus must be ruled by Caucasians.