Iran Warns Russia Against Geopolitical Changes in Caucasus

TEHRAN — Following Russia’s renewed criticism of Armenia’s reluctance to open a land corridor for Azerbaijan, Iran has reaffirmed its strong opposition to geopolitical changes in the South Caucasus.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the head of its Eurasia Directorate, Mojtaba Demirchiloo, discussed with the Russian ambassador in Tehran, Alexei Dedov, “his views on the ongoing developments in the Caucasus.”

A ministry statement cited Demirchiloo as telling Dedov that “Tehran is against any change in the internationally recognized borders and geopolitical changes in the region.”

“The Iranian diplomat also stressed the need to take into consideration the legitimate concerns and interests of all countries in the region,” added the statement.

Demirchiloo met with Dedov two weeks after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the Armenian government of “sabotaging” a Russian-brokered agreement to open transport links between Azerbaijan and its Nakhichevan exclave through Armenia’s Syunik province.

Iran also opposes the extraterritorial “Zangezur corridor” demanded by Baku. Its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reaffirmed Tehran’s stance when he met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on July 30. The Zangezur corridor would be “detrimental to Armenia,” Khamenei was reported to say.