Mirzoyan: We Hope Sanctions Against Iran Are Lifted
Tehran - BORNA - Ararat Mirzoyan, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, expressed hope on Wednesday that international sanctions against Iran would be lifted so that Yerevan could fully utilize the capacity of its relations with the country.
According to Armenpress, Mirzoyan stated this during a Q&A session at the "Orbeli Forum 2025" event: "Our friendship with Iran is very important. Nothing will weaken this friendship. I cannot imagine a government in Armenia that would not continue its relations with Iran in the same spirit of brotherhood and neighborhood. At the same time, there are international sanctions that we have not bypassed and will never bypass. We are very honest with all our international partners; we do not deceive any country, including countries with sanctions against Iran, although these sanctions unfortunately limit our trade and economic relations with Iran. I hope these sanctions will be lifted so that we can benefit from the full capacity of our relations with Iran. Beyond these restrictions, we have very active economic relations with Iran, and this process will continue."
The Armenian Foreign Minister added that Armenia's relations with Iran are currently at the level of a de facto strategic partnership, but there is a mutual will to elevate it to the level of a formal strategic partnership.
He emphasized: "Relations with Iran—a friendship that spans thousands of years—are very important to us. Nothing in the world can disrupt our friendship and partnership [with Iran]. That would be an act against Armenia."
Political Sensitivities of the 'Trump Route' Project
In another part of his remarks, the Armenian Foreign Minister stated that Moscow and Tehran have not expressed concern about the presence of Americans within the framework of the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" project.
Mirzoyan noted that American companies, as well as other foreign investors, including Argentinian, Chinese, and others, operate in Armenia.
Agreeing that the project is politically noteworthy, the Armenian Foreign Minister stated: "I do not want to say that it is comparable to water resources or airport management, but it has political significance and is considered one of the guarantees and tools for peace [between Armenia and Azerbaijan]."
Stating that "negotiations are currently underway with the American side in this regard," he said: "In my opinion, this should be done with Armenian-American participation, managing and advancing the project daily. This does not mean American control over infrastructure. All issues related to Armenia's sovereignty and authority are resolved and reflected in the signed and published documents. This matter only concerns management."
He added: "Moscow and Tehran have not officially expressed concern about this project. On the contrary, Iran and Russia are interested in this project, especially since Russia is the operator of another company in Armenia—the South Caucasus Railway."
Tehran's Reaction to the Regional Dimensions of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Deal with US Role
Mirzoyan's comments about the project called the "Trump Route" follow the peace agreement finally signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan at the White House in August. Under this agreement, after decades of conflict over territorial issues, Azerbaijan is granted direct access to Nakhchivan, and Armenia cedes part of the transit route and corridor.
US President Donald Trump, at the signing of the agreement in the presence of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, said: "This declaration, named the 'Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,' is a special transit zone that will allow Azerbaijan full access to its territory in Nakhchivan. Armenia is also creating an exclusive partnership with the United States to develop this corridor, which can continue for up to 99 years."
One of the most important aspects of this agreement is the creation of the claimed 'Zangezur Corridor,' or as referred to in the agreement, the 'Trump Route.' The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently announced its firm opposition to the creation of such a corridor that would entail changes to the territorial integrity of regional countries or the blocking of existing routes.
Iran has stressed that it will not accept any change in geopolitical borders. Meanwhile, Pashinyan said after signing the agreement that Armenia would achieve a rail connection with Iran through this project, which is highly significant.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran also emphasized in a statement: "Iran carefully follows the current processes in the South Caucasus region and is in contact with both neighboring countries, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia, regarding these developments."
The statement stressed that "undoubtedly, peace and stability in the Caucasus region benefit all regional countries. The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the finalization of the peace agreement by the two countries and considers this development an important step towards achieving sustainable peace in the region."
The Iranian Foreign Ministry also noted: "At the same time, we express our concern about the negative consequences of any foreign interference in any manner or form, especially near the shared borders, which would disrupt the region's security and sustainable stability."
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