Iran warns against the proposed Trump corridor outlined in the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace agreement

Iran warned on Saturday that it might obstruct a corridor proposed in the Caucasus as part of a regional agreement supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to Iranian media, casting doubt on a peace initiative celebrated as a significant strategic change.

A senior Azerbaijani diplomat mentioned previously that the plan revealed by Trump on Friday was merely a step toward a conclusive peace agreement between his nation and Armenia, which confirmed its backing for the proposal. The suggested Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) would traverse southern Armenia, providing Azerbaijan with direct access to its exclave of Nakhchivan and subsequently to Turkey.

The corridor would be exclusively developed by the U.S., which the White House claimed would enhance exports of energy and various resources.

It was unclear how Iran, which neighbors the region, would obstruct it, but the remarks from Ali Akbar Velayati, chief adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, prompted concerns about its safety.

He stated that military drills conducted in northwest Iran showcased the Islamic Republic’s preparedness and resolve to thwart any geopolitical shifts. Iran’s foreign ministry previously acknowledged the agreement “as a significant measure towards enduring regional peace,” but cautioned against any foreign interference near its borders that might “jeopardize the region’s security and long-term stability.”

Analysts and insiders assert that Iran, facing increasing US pressure regarding its controversial nuclear program and the repercussions of a 12-day war with Israel in June, does not possess the military capability to obstruct the corridor

Moscow expressed its backing for the summit but suggested “realizing solutions crafted by the regional countries themselves, aided by their close neighbors – Russia, Iran, and Turkey” to prevent what it termed the “unfortunate experience” of Western mediation in the Middle East.

Turkey, a close ally of Azerbaijan and a NATO member, expressed approval of the agreement.

Since the late 1980s, Baku and Yerevan have been in conflict after Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous area in Azerbaijan predominantly inhabited by ethnic Armenians, seceded from Azerbaijan with Armenia’s backing. In 2023, Azerbaijan regained complete control of the area, causing nearly all of the 100,000 ethnic Armenians residing there to escape to Armenia

“The chapter of enmity is closed and now we’re moving towards lasting peace,” said Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Britain, predicting that the wider region’s prosperity and transport links would be transformed for the better.

“This is a paradigm shift,” said Suleymanov, who as a former envoy to Washington who used to work in President Aliyev’s office, is one of his country’s most senior diplomats.

Suleymanov declined to speculate on when a final peace deal would be signed however, noting that Aliyev had said he wanted it to happen soon.

There remained only one obstacle, said Suleymanov, which was for Armenia to amend its constitution to remove a reference to Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Azerbaijan is ready to sign any time once Armenia fulfils the very basic commitment of removing its territorial claim against Azerbaijan in its constitution,” he said.