Iran pushes for swift signing of Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal

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In a visit to Yerevan on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to finalize and sign their long-awaited peace treaty, which was agreed upon on March 13 after extensive negotiations.

“We welcome the agreement on the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan and encourage the two countries to sign this document as soon as possible,” Araghchi stated following talks with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan. He emphasized the importance of the deal for fostering peace and stability in the Caucasus, as well as for boosting economic relations between the two countries.

“The Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal would minimize the risk of a major ‘escalation’ of tensions between the two South Caucasus states,” he added during a joint news conference.

Despite Armenia’s call for immediate consultations on the signing date and venue, following its acceptance of Azerbaijani proposals on the remaining points of contention, the process remains stalled. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian reiterated the appeal for progress last week via social media. However, Mirzoyan revealed that Baku has not yet provided a positive response. “At the moment, there is no [mutual] understanding as to where and when it should be signed,” he remarked.

The Azerbaijani government has expressed that the treaty’s signing hinges on Armenia’s constitutional changes and the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, which has been involved in mediating the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Additionally, Baku has made demands for the establishment of a land corridor through Syunik, Armenia’s only region that borders Iran, connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave.

Araghchi strongly opposed the creation of such a corridor, which he argued would sever Iran’s direct transport links with Armenia. He reiterated Iran’s firm support for Yerevan’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative, which envisions mutual control of transport infrastructure between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “We support the independence and territorial integrity of the regional countries and are against any change of the internationally recognized borders or any other geopolitical changes,” Araghchi stressed.

Further strengthening Iran-Armenia ties, Araghchi highlighted the dynamic growth of their bilateral relations and noted the “excellent conversation” he had with Mirzoyan regarding the proposed construction of a second bridge over the Arax river, which marks the Armenian-Iranian border. While he refrained from providing a timeline for the project, the discussion marked a significant step in deepening cooperation between the two nations.