Iran Refuses Trump-Backed Caucasus Corridor Near Border

Iran has strongly opposed the creation of a corridor in the South Caucasus region that would link Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave, a plan brokered by US President Donald Trump as part of a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, emphasized that Iran will block the corridor regardless of Russia's involvement, warning that it would destabilize the region, alter borders, and threaten Armenia's integrity. Iran has expressed concerns that the corridor, which would grant the US exclusive transit rights near Iran's border, could serve as a strategic foothold for NATO countries, increasing foreign interference in the sensitive region. Iranian officials, including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, have voiced opposition or concern about the corridor's implications for regional security and sovereignty. Though Iran supports lasting peace and regional connectivity, it insists that these must occur without foreign intervention and with respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Iranian Foreign Ministry reiterated its commitment to safeguarding national interests and warned that the corridor could undermine security and stability if implemented as planned.