Recent diplomatic engagements and public discourse in Iran highlight Tehran’s apprehensions regarding regional geopolitical developments, notably the Zangezur Corridor and its complex relationship with Russia.
The Russian Ambassador in Tehran was summoned to the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday following statements by the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson. Mojtaba Damirchilou, an aide to Iran’s foreign minister and the director general of Eurasian affairs at the Foreign Ministry, held (September 3) an important meeting with Russian Ambassador to Tehran Alexei Dedov.
In this meeting, Damirchilou reiterated Iran’s stance against geopolitical changes in the Caucasus, emphasizing the importance of maintaining internationally recognized borders and regional stability. This meeting gains significance as it follows close on the heels of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Baku, where discussions with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev touched upon several contentious issues, including the proposed Zangezur Corridor. The consultation with the Russian ambassador also addressed the upcoming 3+3 consultative mechanism and a trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting involving Iran, Russia, and Azerbaijan.
The meeting with the Russian ambassador came days after Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Baku and met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, discussing the Zangezur Corridor. The visit also came amid worsened relations between Moscow and Yerevan.
Recently, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova acknowledged Iran’s concerns, affirming Russia’s fixed position on the Zangezur Corridor which connects Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia’s Syunik region.
Iran consistently underscores the importance of preserving historical transit routes. Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has expressed that “certain paths in our vicinity do not just contradict our national interests but our national security. We must stand firm.” Armenia concurs with Iran regarding the immutability of borders. Iran shares deep-rooted cultural and historical ties with its strategic ally Armenia, and any threat to Armenian sovereignty is viewed with concern in Tehran. The corridor may diminish Iran’s influence over regional Shia communities by strengthening Sunni-majority Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Iran’s opposition to the Zangezur Corridor stems from concerns that it would link mainland Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan and onwards to Turkey, potentially isolating Armenia and undermining Iran’s direct land access to Armenia. Iran regards the preservation of existing territorial alignments as vital for regional peace and cooperation. The corridor could consolidate Azerbaijani-Turkish military alliances, potentially encouraging positions adverse to Iranian interests in the region.
From an Iranian economic perspective, the establishment of the Zangezur Corridor could redirect key trade routes that currently benefit Iran, particularly those connecting it to Armenia, potentially diminishing Iran’s economic influence in the Caucasus. The corridor might alter regional energy routes, reducing Iran’s leverage over energy supplies to Europe, which could shift economic advantages toward Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Iran perceives the corridor as a Western-backed initiative to limit its influence in the region. It views Western countries’ support for the corridor as a broader strategy to contain Iranian power.
The discourse within Iran further intensified following Putin’s visit, triggering reactions from various quarters. The Iranian media reflected these tensions, with the reformist daily Arman-e Emrouz critiquing Russia for being “asleep” regarding the implications for Iran’s borders. Moreover, documentary filmmaker Hossein Dehbashi took to social media to voice a common perception of Russian duplicity in its dealings with Iran, criticizing the continued strategic partnership despite perceived betrayals. Dehbashi’s remarks underscore a growing sentiment in Iran about the contradictory nature of aiding Russia with military assets such as drones while facing geopolitical and territorial challenges encouraged or abetted by Moscow. He twisted:
“But sometimes you wonder if this Russia, which – from the Zangezur corridor in the north to the three disputed islands in the south of Iran (Abu Musa, and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs strategically located near the Strait of Hormuz) – constantly acts unfriendly and incessantly twists the knife in our flesh, is the same Russia to whose war we send drones? Or perhaps they are different and we are not aware, otherwise why really?”
Iran Dossier Russia ” constantly acts unfriendly and incessantly twists the knife in our flesh.”