Iranian envoy says TRIPP is road, not corridor

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran’s ambassador to Armenia said TRIPP should be viewed as a road rather than a corridor, underlining Tehran’s support for initiatives that promote regional peace.

“TRIPP is not a corridor but a road,” Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia Khalil Shirgholami said during a meeting with students at Yerevan State University.

Responding to a question about whether Tehran’s concerns over the U.S.-backed project had eased, Shirgholami said Iran maintains close and ongoing contacts with the Armenian side on the issue, according to RFE/RL.

“We have very good communication with the Armenian side on this matter and remain in constant contact. If the purpose of this road is to expand opportunities and support peace, we are not opposed to it.

Given the United States’ hostile attitude toward Tehran, we had concerns, which we discussed with our Armenian partners in a very warm atmosphere. They assured us that Armenia will not become a platform for actions against Iran. We have mutual trust,” Shirgholami said.

Following the agreement signed in Washington on August 8, 2025, concerns have periodically been voiced by neighboring Iran. At the official level, Tehran has stated that it trusts the Armenian side’s assurances regarding TRIPP, while also expressing fears that the United States could use the project to pursue its own security agenda. Late last year, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader openly declared that TRIPP is the same as the “Zangezur corridor,” and that Tehran has opposed the project from the outset.