ColumnsTashjian's Take
The issue of the “Zangezur Corridor” is back — can Iran provide an alternative?
On August 7, 2024, Elchin Amirbayov, President Ilham Aliyev’s senior envoy for special assignments, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that Baku had agreed to withdraw the issue of the “Zangezur Corridor” from Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations and “refer it to a later stage.” This statement put Russia in a difficult position, as it had aimed to control the transit routes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, according to the November 10, 2020 trilateral statement signed by the heads of state
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Russia position which seemed to be elevated in November 2020 has faced a reality check preoccupiation in Ukraine and for Armenians it’s failure to safeguard the Arktash Armenians from the Azeri blockade and conquest in 2023 discredits their position and reputation for any potential role in Armenia in any future passage between Azerbaijan and it’s Nakhichevan exclave. Western powers would rather Armenia kept it’s border with Iran as via the black sea where Russia position has receded and Georgia Europe can have communication with Iran the expectation is that the clerical regime won’t be there forever and if Armenia is isolated from Iran this prospect is lost for good. As for gas supplies in the event of normalised relationship with Azerbaijan then the grace and leeway Armenia had in the USA viewpoint would be terminated as long as the clerical regime holds power. As for whether Azerbaijan would attack Armenia itself it is nominally although in a zombie state still part of the Russian led CTSO alliance which would technically expect support in such a circumstance. Armenia would with its warming relationship with the USA and the west effectively have to have an alliance with Iran in order to allow Iran to operate in Armenia for the first time since 1828 as matters stand if Azerbaijan was to attack Armenia for Iran this is legally one neighbor being invaded by another and wouldn’t be able to intervene without some prior accordance with Armenia who in turn as part of its CTSO alliance can’t form alliances with other nations which amounted to a fraud as non member Azerbaijan was able to act more dynamically and develop it’s military considerably. Thus to align with Iran would end it’s collapsing CTSO alliance partnership and antagonise the USA and the west and for Iran would compromise it’s Islamic credentials as it would be siding with a Christian neighbour in a conflict with a Muslim neighbour .
Excellent article analysing and providing context to the evolving situation in the South Caucasus. One disappointing aspect was that while Armenia’s antagonists were referred to by their full names and titles such as the Azeri President’s senior envoy for special assignments and the Russian foreign minister, the only reference to the Armenian Prime Minister was his surname instead of his full name and title. Whilst one has the right to disagree or hold different views and opinions to the elected representatives of Armenia, it is proper practice to address them by their full name and title, especially if that courtesy is being displayed by the author to representatives of nations that are the nemesis of Armenia.
That was an unintentional oversight and has been resolved. Thank you for reading!
As far as I know, Azerbaijan *already* uses NW Iran to get to Nakhichevan & Turkey and back. So nothing new there.
Why act as if it’s new?
If Iran wants to formalize or improve that route, OK, but it has little to do with what Armenia is sonehow obliged to do.
The entire “Zangezur” road/corridor issue is absurd from the get-go.
Can we please stop talking as if this is some sort of obligation of Armenia? I don’t know where that came from.
Russia & Azerbaijan blatantly violated the Nov. 9, 2020 pact.
Thus, it is dead. Spell it out: D-E-A-D.
Therefore, Armenia need not provide ANY road/path/rail from Azerbaijan thru Armenia as stated in the pact. Stop talking as if Armenia does.
Plus, Azerbaijan has long had another way to Turkey and Nakhichevan: Georgia.
What, Armenia is now to do favors for Azerbaijan, Turkey, the West, and Russia?
The Lachin corridor and Artsakh were destroyed and yet some of you talk as if Armenia must now give things to Azerbaijan? Where the heck did that notion come from?
I thought Pashinyan was bad, but some Armenians and this route/corridor issue are worse.
This entire issue must be re-thought.
I can understand “border demarcation” but not the subject of roads mixed in, especially in terms of “peace” which Azerbaijan and Turkey have no interest in anyway.