Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to Armenia on March 24-25 was productive. He held extensive discussions with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan, and met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, conveying the greetings of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Axar.az reports that political analyst Elxan Shahinoglu made these remarks.

He stated that Abbas Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s “traditional” statements in Yerevan:

“The Iranian diplomat emphasized the inviolability of borders in the region. However, Tehran seems to have misplaced its focus again. When Azerbaijani territories were under occupation, I do not recall Iranian officials using the term ‘borders are inviolable’ during their visits to Yerevan. Back then, Armenian officials might have interpreted this as Tehran’s support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. To avoid unsettling their Armenian counterparts, Iranian officials refrained from such statements, and Tehran showed no concern over the occupation of former Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia.

During his meeting with the Iranian diplomat, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to its peace agenda, to which Araghchi expressed Iran’s support. Another notable statement from Araghchi in Yerevan was: ‘Iran calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign a peace agreement soon.’ Interestingly, this time, the Iranian representative did not oppose the Zangezur Corridor. It seems unnecessary now, as Pashinyan himself is against the corridor, reducing Tehran’s concerns. Additionally, a transport corridor through Iran to Nakhchivan is in progress, which, once operational, could diminish the importance of the Zangezur Corridor.

In reality, Tehran’s stance harms Yerevan. Had Pashinyan agreed to the Zangezur Corridor, Armenia would have been part of the Middle Corridor. Instead, Iran is set to surpass Armenia in regional transit.

Another significant event for Abbas Araghchi in Yerevan was the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s translation and presentation of his book, *The Power of Negotiations*, in Armenian. However, the book’s title contradicts Tehran’s actual policies. If Iran’s strength truly lay in negotiations, it wouldn’t be entangled in tensions with so many countries. Iran’s influence is not in diplomacy but in interfering in neighboring states’ affairs and supporting various armed groups.”