An official Armenian readout of the call suggests that Ali Akbar Ahmadian, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, discussed the issue with his Armenian counterpart Armen Grigorian.
“Armen Grigorian emphasized Armenia’s position on the issue of unblocking regional communication routes based on [the regional countries’] territorial integrity, sovereignty and jurisdiction,” read the statement released by his office.
It said Ahmadian voiced support for that position and reaffirmed Tehran’s own stance. The two men also discussed “recent regional developments” and stressed the need to “maintain security and stability in the region,” added the statement. Official Iranian sources did not comment on the conversation as of Thursday evening.
Tehran is strongly opposed to the opening of a land corridor that would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave as well as Turkey through Syunik, the only Armenian province bordering Iran. It has repeatedly warned Baku and Ankara against attempting to strip the Islamic Republic of the common border or direct transport links with Armenia.
In a clear reference to the United States and other Western powers, Iranian leaders have also spoken out against the presence of “extra-regional” forces in the South Caucasus. Meeting with Grigorian in Tehran in May, Ahmadian said they are “not interested in lasting peace in the region” and could harm Armenian-Iranian relations.
Pashinian confirmed on Wednesday reports that the United States proposed recently that an American company handle the movement of people and cargo to and from Nakhichevan via Syunik. Pashinian, who met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev last week, essentially backed the idea and said “intensive discussions” are underway on practical modalities of the company’s operations.
Armenian opposition leaders expressed serious concern about the reported U.S. proposal even before Pashinian’s comments. They said that such an arrangement would jeopardize Armenian sovereignty over Syunik.
Ishkhan Saghatelian, a leader of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) party, said late on Wednesday that it would also spell trouble for Armenia’s “international partners,” presumably including Iran.
“This is the beginning of a new storm, not only for Armenia but also the entire region,” Saghatelian claimed, predicting a “new cycle of violence and instability with unpredictable consequences.”