Iran supports expansion of regional transportation routes, opposes geopolitical change

“We support the expansion of transit routes and transportation networks in a way that serves the interests of all regional countries, but at the same time we emphasize that we oppose any change to international borders,” Kanaani told reporters on Monday.

He also expressed Tehran’s support for resolving the disputes in the Caucasus region, including the one between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, through political means.

“We believe differences in the Caucasus can be resolved via political dialogue and regional capacities.”

The spokesman stressed that Tehran is against any extra-regional intervention and foreign presence in the Caucasus.

He noted that Iran supports regional dialogue within the framework of the 3+3 format cooperation mechanism, expressing Tehran’s readiness to help find a solution to the conflict.

The 3+3 format cooperation mechanism features the three South Caucasus countries of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan plus Russia, Turkey, and Iran.

Kanaani further said that the visit of Armen Grigoryan, the secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia to Tehran aimed to discuss bilateral ties and the latest developments in Caucasus.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the Caucasus and lies within Azerbaijan’s borders.

The region has always been internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan though it is mostly populated by ethnic Armenians, who have resisted Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over the territory.

Last month, Azerbaijan launched an operation designed to seize control of the breakaway territory and perhaps end a three-decade-old conflict.

The operation ended on September 20, after the Azerbaijani military routed Armenian forces in 24 hours and made the separatists agree to lay down weapons, under a Russian-mediated ceasefire.