Zolnouri: Zangezur Corridor a “Crisis Hotspot,” Not a Peace Initiative

According to Saed News citing Rasa News Agency, Mojtaba Zolnouri, a member of the Iranian Parliament representing Qom, said that what has happened regarding the reopening of the Zangezur Corridor is not a peace-seeking measure, but rather a focal point for more serious crises in the region’s future. “Trump and the United States have certainly acted with ill intent,” he stressed.

Zolnouri stated that the Islamic Republic supports peace among neighboring and regional countries. “Wherever there has been tension or conflict between two countries in the region, the Islamic Republic has played its benevolent role. Therefore, we welcome bilateral and multilateral peace between all regional countries and believe in achieving it through strengthening friendship and reducing tensions,” he said.

He went on to refer to the 99-year lease of southern Syunik Province in Armenia to the United States, adding: “What has happened regarding the reopening of the Zangezur Corridor is not a peace initiative, but a hotspot for more serious crises in the future. Certainly, Trump and the United States have acted with malice, and granting the U.S. full control for 99 years will serve as a bridgehead for expanding Washington’s malevolence, causing the greatest harm to the Islamic Republic.”

The member of Parliament’s Legal and Judicial Commission described the second challenge of the U.S.-led “Trump route” plan as severing Iran’s direct connection with Russia, saying: “Our diplomatic apparatus must step in and ensure that the country’s historical and geopolitical rights are not ignored. Armenia can build a wall around itself, but when a third party comes in and creates a barrier, it disrupts relations between two countries. No rights should be granted to foreigners, and diplomacy must intervene actively.”

Zolnouri warned that the U.S. presence right next to Iran’s border could bring conspiracies against the country. “We have seen the United States’ ill intent toward our people throughout history. They have tried through propaganda to portray the Islamic Republic as violent and adventurous, but during the 12-day war they proved their full support for the Zionist enemy, using their aircraft to target nuclear facilities. Our people harbor hatred for this enemy and know that the closer they get, the more negative the consequences.”

He also raised the possibility of future U.S. blackmail against Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Armenia, noting: “The United States can extort any country wishing to pass through this route. Consequently, Turkish goods would bypass Iran and instead travel through Nakhchivan and the Zangezur Corridor, creating a sense of independence from the Islamic Republic, which would cause problems between Iran and Turkey. The U.S. may demand concessions from Turkey and impose heavy tariffs on the transit of electricity, water, gas, and goods.”

Zolnouri continued: “If the United States solidifies its control over southern Armenia, it may lease the transit of water, electricity, and gas to American or even Israeli companies. Therefore, it does not seek the benefit of Azerbaijan or Armenia, but only its own gain.”

Emphasizing that Armenia’s border issue is “not a minor matter” for Iran, he said: “We should not neglect such an important issue with statements like ‘Azerbaijan can do what it wants with its own land.’ This corridor will create problems for us in the future. The Supreme Leader has declared historical borders as a red line, which is a serious and real matter, because now the most hostile and vile enemy is stationed right on our doorstep, threatening our interests. In the future, they could replicate this in other areas to extract concessions and pressure the Islamic Republic.”

He added: “If Iran were to establish such a presence in Latin America right next to U.S. borders, would America accept it? They have imposed restrictions on our trade with other countries, and currently, in many places, airports and ports refuse services to Iranian ships and planes, justifying these hostile acts as defending their own interests. How can we accept U.S. presence when it impacts our interests? When the U.S. does not accept our bilateral relations with distant countries, how can we downplay their presence in our neighborhood?”

The MP also criticized statements that downplay the Iran–Armenia border issue, noting: “Those who fail to grasp the significance of this matter and use inappropriate phrases like ‘just give it away,’ ‘it’s not worth the trouble,’ or ‘it’s none of our business’ should remember the results of previous ‘none of our business’ attitudes—like when the Zionist regime established military ties in northern Iraq and Azerbaijan, which it used during the 12-day war against us. Naturally, any development in the region impacts the security of regional countries.”

Zolnouri concluded by saying that the diplomatic apparatus should reconsider its approach to Azerbaijan and Armenia and urge neighboring countries to protect the Islamic Republic’s interests. “Armenia and Azerbaijan should realize that the region’s enemies seek to milk nations and plunder resources, and they must avoid them for their own benefit. If Armenia grants such a concession to the United States and allows U.S. forces to be stationed on its soil, it will have to make even greater concessions in the future. Trump’s move is not benevolent—it is absolute evil.”

He also pointed to the impact of the Zangezur Corridor on the interests of China and Russia, stating: “It may not have a direct impact on Russia and China or their immediate neighborhood, but America’s unilateral dominance in a region that also falls within the sphere of Chinese and Russian interests will certainly be significant. I do not know how much sensitivity they will show in this regard.”