Why it matters:
Iran's Foreign Minister's disclosure comes amid heightened regional tensions following last week's White House meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani officials under President Trump's mediation. During the meeting, Armenia agreed to grant Azerbaijan land access through the Zangezur corridor under a 99-year concession that includes US involvement in highway construction along Iran's border.
The big picture:
Iran has repeatedly warned against Western attempts to establish military footholds in the region. This latest statement reinforces Tehran's commitment to work with Moscow in maintaining the current security architecture and preventing external powers from gaining military access through infrastructure projects or other means.
What he's saying:
Araghchi:
Armenia has formally acknowledged our security boundaries. A lasting American military footprint in the South Caucasus is unanimously rejected by regional states.
Our consultations with Russia's Caucasus representative confirmed identical stances. Regional nations must jointly block external military exploitation of transit routes.
While respecting Armenia's territorial sovereignty, we vigilantly observe any infrastructure developments that could facilitate foreign military access.
Go Deeper:
Peace in Caucasus Depends on Respect for Sovereignty, Regional Interests: Iran
M.Majdi - Mojtaba Darabi
