Armenia continues to expand its multifaceted cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran. As we mentioned in the previous article, Iran's role in the South Caucasus has begun to grow following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and the Russo-Ukrainian conflict.

The Armenian government's 2021-2026 program notes that it will take steps to ensure the further development of special relations with Iran. Last year alone, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan visited Tehran twice and also hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Armenia.

On May 22, a delegation led by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a working visit to Iran to participate in an official event to pay tribute and offer condolences to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and their accompanying delegation.

In Tehran, Pashinyan met with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei.

Two sides expressed their conviction that Armenia and Iran will continue to take steps aimed at developing and expanding warm and friendly relations for the progress of both countries and peoples.

Pashinyan also met with Iran's acting President Mohammad Mokhber․ Mohammad Mokhber assured that all the programs outlined by the Armenian Prime Minister with Ebrahim Raisi, which are aimed at the development of Armenia-Iran relations, will be continuous.

On May 19, a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian crashed in northwestern Iran. The day after this tragic event, many Armenian citizens visited the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Yerevan and the Consulate in Kapan, bringing wreaths and candles to express their condolences to the neighboring friendly country.

A book of condolences was opened in the embassy, where various high-ranking Armenian officials, including Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan, President Vahagn Khachaturyan, and other officials, wrote their words of sympathy.

Days later, the Iranian Embassy in Armenia issued a statement expressing gratitude to Armenia for the compassion and support shown during this difficult time.

The perception of foreign policy among the Armenian public has also changed. While years ago the majority of the Armenian population associated both economic and security issues with Russia, considered Armenia's strategic partner, the situation has completely changed after the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

A public opinion survey conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI) showed that 47% of respondents consider Iran the most important political partner for Armenia. 49% of respondents view Iran as the most important economic partner, placing it ahead of Russia. The same trend is seen in the security sector, with 46% of respondents considering Iran a key security partner, which can be considered unprecedented.

Iran's new president is an ethnic Azeri: Will it affect Armenian-Iranian relations?

Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as the ninth president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was born in the city of Mahabad, in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province, where Kurds are the majority. Pezeshkian’s mother is Kurdish, and his father is an ethnic Azeri. However, regardless of the fact that the newly elected president of the Islamic Republic of Iran has Azerbaijani origins, this will not affect Iran's foreign policy, particularly its relations with Armenia. The foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is determined by the Supreme Leader of Iran, who assured Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during their meeting in Tehran that all the programs initiated by the former president will continue. The Prime Minister Republic of Armenia  Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with the president-elect of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian. The Prime Minister congratulated Masoud Pezeshkian on the victory in the elections and wished him an effective tenure. The interlocutors reaffirmed their commitment to the previously reached interstate agreements. The parties agreed to meet on any upcoming opportunity.

The "North-South Transport Corridor" and the "Persian Gulf-Black Sea" Projects

If the "Persian Gulf-Black Sea" project is launched, India and Iran will have a transport connection through Georgia and Armenia to Eastern European countries. Iran proposed this idea back in 2016, and later Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, and Greece joined the project. A working group was created.

The Armenian authorities have repeatedly voiced their interest in this project. During the 11th session of the Armenia-Georgia Intergovernmental Economic Cooperation Commission, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan touched upon the Persian Gulf-Black Sea project, expressing confidence that it could boost regional cooperation.

During his visit to Iran on July 24, 2023, and at a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan again emphasized the importance of close cooperation with neighboring Iran in both economic and infrastructure sectors.

"Emphasizing the milestone set by the Armenian Prime Minister and the Iranian President to increase bilateral trade volumes to $3 billion, we stressed the importance of continuing and completing joint economic projects. In our agenda, cooperation in trade, energy, transport, and road infrastructure holds a special role, and in this regard, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of implementing the 'North-South Road Corridor' and 'Persian Gulf-Black Sea' international transport route projects," the minister said.

However, this path can only be realized if the North-South Corridor is fully completed.

This strategically significant road corridor will provide access from Armenia through Georgia to the Black Sea and then to European countries, crossing Armenia from south to north. The project's implementation will improve Europe-Caucasus-Asia road communication at the intersection of Western Asia and Eastern Europe.

The construction work on the North-South International Transport Corridor, which has been ongoing for almost two decades, was renamed the North-South-East-West Corridor during Nikol Pashinyan's administration. 

"This means that one branch of the 'Armenian Crossroads' will connect Armenia to Iran, another to Azerbaijan, and further to Nakhchivan and Turkey," Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a government meeting on February 17, 2022.

For Nikol Pashinyan's government, which frequently speaks about unblocking roads following the Nagorno-Karabakh war, this road and particularly Iran's role have become more significant.

At the beginning of the year, it became known that the reconstruction of the Kajaran-Agarak section (Armenia-Iran border) of the North-South Road Corridor, Tranche-4, had begun.

According to the Road Department, the contractor is composed of two Iranian construction companies: Abad Rahan Pars International Group and Tunnel Sadd Ariana. In the Kajaran-Agarak section, it is planned to reconstruct 32 km of the road, build 17 bridges, 2 tunnels (with a total length of about 900 meters), and 5 transport junctions, resulting in the section meeting European highway standards. The North-South Road will facilitate access to the Black Sea not only for Armenia but also for India and the countries of the Persian Gulf basin.

Iranian officials have also repeatedly emphasized the importance of this road. Mehdi Sobhani, the Iranian Ambassador to Armenia, expressed confidence that goods can reach the Black Sea two days faster via the North-South road through Armenia than through Azerbaijan.

"For Iran, Armenia is the best route to the north, to the Black Sea, and for Armenia, Iran is also the best route to the Persian Gulf and the port of Chabahar," said the ambassador.

Economic Cooperation

On June 14, 2024, the Armenian government approved the ratification of the "Agreement on Free Trade between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Islamic Republic of Iran." This agreement is based on the provisions established by the "Interim Agreement Leading to the Formation of a Free Trade Zone between the EAEU and its Member States and Iran," which came into force in 2019. The agreement will ensure duty-free entry of goods into the Iranian market.

For the first time in its international trade agreements, Iran commits to zeroing out import duties within the framework of this agreement.

Competition Among Actors in the South Caucasus

Gohar Iskandaryan, head of the Iran Department at the Institute of Oriental Studies, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, reminds us that both Turkey and Iran have been competing to strengthen their positions in the South Caucasus and Central Asian countries since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Prior to the establishment of the Soviet Union, these countries already had influence in the region, and naturally, following its dissolution, they sought to reclaim their former status.

After the end of the Nagorno-Karabakh war and the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia has been more focused on its internal problems, seemingly neglecting the events in the Caucasus. This void has been filled by other states, with Turkey and Iran being the most active. The competition mirrors the 19th and 20th centuries, where a stronger Russia exerted more influence. Now, with a weakened Russia, other countries are extending their influence.

Over the years since Armenia’s independence, Armenia has deepened its cooperation with Iran, achieving several milestones such as the construction of a bridge between Armenia and Iran, gas pipelines, roads, and the implementation of the gas-for-electricity project. The most ambitious project is the North-South Road Corridor.

After the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war and Azerbaijan's incursions into Armenian sovereign territories in 2021, sections of the Goris-Kapan interstate road fell under Azerbaijani control. This road was crucial for Iranian cargo transport. In September 2021, Azerbaijani border guards and police started stopping Iranian trucks and demanding money, casting doubt on Armenian-Iranian joint infrastructure projects.

Although Armenian authorities have constructed alternative routes, experts believe these may not have the capacity to support the North-South Corridor or the Persian Gulf-Black Sea projects adequately.

The Armenian government's rhetoric regarding Iran changed after the Nagorno-Karabakh war and the events of 2021. Iran played a crucial role in preventing Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey, from opening the so-called Zangezur Corridor by force. Iran's Supreme Leader publicly stated that the Armenia-Iran border is one of the oldest in the world and is inviolable, making this declaration in the presence of both Turkish and Russian presidents.

Armenia Needs a New Security Architecture

Artyom Tonoyan Associate Professor at the Department of Iranian Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, Yerevan State University, also said that Iran's role in the South Caucasus has become more active, especially after the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. This increased activity is closely linked to the growing influence of the Republic of Turkey and the competition between Iran and Turkey.

“The passive stance of Russia during the war and the active involvement of Turkey compelled Iran to enhance its South Caucasus policy immediately after the war. The 2020 conflict highlighted Armenia's need for a new security architecture, where Iran could play a crucial role,” said the expert.

Given the weakening of Russia's positions in the South Caucasus and the strategic alliance between Turkey and Azerbaijan, Armenia needs to reassess its security strategy.

Tonoyan suggests that Armenia should intensify its economic cooperation with Iran, which is also keen on this collaboration. Iran's political interest is evidenced by the opening of a consulate in Kapan.

Despite the challenges posed by Azerbaijan's control over the Goris-Kapan highway, Iran remains interested in routes passing through Armenia. Iranian officials consistently emphasize the importance of such infrastructure, aligning with Iran's long-term strategic interests.

Iran opposes the creation of corridors proposed by neighboring countries that bypass Armenia and Iran, as these threaten the prospects of larger, global corridors passing through both countries.

The post-war situation creates opportunities for Iran to fill the vacuum left by Russia's diminished influence, thereby preventing Turkey from gaining further ground in the region. This issue is a significant topic of discussion in Iran.

About author:

Ani Grigoryan is the founder and editor of CivilNetCheck - a fact checking department at CivilNet online TV. She has extensive experience in journalism, for more than 8 years. In the last three years she specialized in fact checking and investigative journalism.