Armenian Ambassador to Iran Grigor Hovhannisyan said in an interview with Iran's Tasnim news agency that Armenia had taken Iran’s vital interests into account when signing the Washington peace agreement with Azerbaijan and the accompanying regional connectivity initiative known as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).
The ambassador stated that the August 8, 2025 agreement affirmed mutual recognition of territorial integrity and borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan, based on the 1991 Almaty Declaration. The accompanying trilateral declaration with U.S. participation marked a major shift toward ending conflict and building peace.
Hovhannisyan clarified that calling the project a “corridor” is incorrect and contradicts the terminology of the signed declaration. The official name is TRIPP Route, and it upholds the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the states involved.
He stressed that the agreement includes the unblocking of all types of transport connections — domestic, bilateral, and international — based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. In this process, Yerevan maintained active dialogue with Tehran and considered its key interests.
Importantly, the TRIPP Route is expected to provide Armenia with a rail link to Iran via Nakhichevan. In return, Iran would gain a direct rail connection to Georgia and the Black Sea, positioning itself as a regional transit hub. Armenia and the U.S. hold equal veto power over third-party participation in the project, ensuring Tehran’s strategic concerns are not bypassed.
A joint Armenian-American company, TRIPP Company, is to be established in Armenia and granted the rights to develop related infrastructure, including railways, highways, pipelines, and fiber-optic lines, with implementation expected to begin next year.
Ambassador Hovhannisyan noted that Azerbaijan has already lifted some transit restrictions for goods headed to Armenia, citing a recent case of grain delivered from Kazakhstan via Azerbaijan and Georgia.
He also commented on renewed Armenia–Turkey contacts, including plans to reopen the Margara–Alijan checkpoint, restore the Gyumri–Kars railway, and reconstruct electricity transmission lines. Technical discussions are reportedly underway on the railway project.
In conclusion, the ambassador said the TRIPP Route and the revival of the Gyumri–Kars railway could jointly create an integrated regional rail network connecting the South Caucasus and beyond, contributing to economic integration and lasting peace.
Iranian official Ali Akbar Velayati has criticized the TRIPP initiative, equating it with the rejected “Zangezur Corridor” and warning of potential NATO encroachment north of Iran.
