ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated his call for Armenia to open an extraterritorial corridor linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave, emphasizing that such a move is crucial for achieving lasting peace in the region.
Erdogan highlighted Turkey’s strong support for a comprehensive peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He underscored that the opening of the Zangezur corridor, connecting Nakhichevan with mainland Azerbaijan through Armenian territory, is a crucial step towards reconciliation.
“We hope that Azerbaijan and Armenia will achieve lasting peace which Turkey wholeheartedly supports,” Erdogan told reporters. “The opening of the Zangezur corridor is the final step of this agreement. We want positive decisions along this path to be made without delay.”
The proposal for the corridor has been a contentious issue in negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenia has maintained that any corridor must respect its sovereignty and ensure its control over all transit routes passing through its territory. This stance has been one of the main sticking points in the ongoing peace talks between the two South Caucasus nations.
“The Zangezur corridor is a strategic route that will benefit everyone, especially Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Iran,” Erdogan emphasized.
The corridor envisioned by Baku and Ankara would traverse through Syunik, an Armenian region bordering Iran. However, Iran has vehemently opposed any initiative that would undermine its existing border arrangements with Armenia and jeopardize its transport links.
Iranian leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and former President Ebrahim Raisi, have expressed strong opposition to the “Zangezur corridor.” This opposition was reaffirmed during discussions between Iranian officials and Erdogan.
Despite Iran’s objections, Erdogan and Turkish officials continue to advocate for the corridor, framing it as a project that would not only benefit Turkey and Azerbaijan but also contribute to broader regional cooperation among Turkic nations.
