Armenia rejects Aliyev’s demand for unregulated corridor
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Armenia slams Azerbaijani President Aliyev’s call for unchecked transit through its territory, calling it a violation of sovereignty and border control norms.
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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan pose for a photo prior to their talks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Azerbaijan's Presidential Press Office)
Armenia has pushed back against comments made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev regarding the transit of Azerbaijani cargo and citizens through Armenian territory, warning that Baku's position oversteps the framework of bilateral agreements.
Speaking to Armenpress on Monday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s spokeswoman, Nazeli Baghdasaryan, responded to Aliyev’s claim that Azerbaijani citizens should not be required to interact with Armenia’s border services when passing through Armenian territory.
Aliyev had described the route between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave as a secure and unobstructed corridor under Azerbaijani jurisdiction, citing recent discussions with Pashinyan in Abu Dhabi.
No such discussions between Yerevan, Baku
Baghdasaryan dismissed the interpretation, stating, “Armenia has not discussed and will not discuss any option that undermines our sovereignty or territorial integrity, whether before, during, or after the July 10 meeting in Abu Dhabi.”
She emphasized that any transit through Armenia must occur in line with international norms, including full customs and border checks. “Armenia cannot and will not waive the right to verify who enters and exits its territory,” she said, adding that Armenia’s stance is based on “reciprocity, jurisdiction, and sovereignty.”
Aliyev's comments 'veiled territorial claim'
The spokeswoman described Aliyev’s position as a “veiled territorial claim” that contradicts the spirit of ongoing peace talks and prior agreements between the two countries. She reiterated that Prime Minister Pashinyan has consistently affirmed the need for full control over Armenian territory, including all transit routes.
“Armenia ensures the safety of roads, vehicles, cargo, and passengers. But that responsibility also includes knowing who is crossing our borders and ensuring legal compliance,” she added.
The disagreement underscores growing tension over the planned reopening of regional transport corridors in the South Caucasus. Baku’s insistence on an unchecked corridor to Nakhchivan has repeatedly clashed with Yerevan’s insistence on border sovereignty and legal oversight.
US proposes leasing Zangezur corridor
The United States is reportedly prepared to lease the Zangezur corridor, a strategically contested route between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Izvestia reported on Saturday. Though initial news reports were semi-official, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that negotiations with the US are underway.
The Zangezur corridor would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave and Turkey, bypassing the need for Iranian transit routes. But Baku demands the road be extraterritorial, exempt from customs and border checks, an arrangement that Yerevan has long rejected as a violation of Armenian sovereignty.
According to the report, the US proposal seeks to neutralize these tensions, while the plan involves an American company managing the corridor under a long-term lease. That said, the US Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, stated that Washington is prepared to lease the 32-kilometer stretch of road for 100 years, aiming to end the deadlock between Baku and Yerevan.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan earlier confirmed the ongoing negotiations, emphasizing that Armenia would accept international management only if it respects the country’s sovereignty, jurisdiction, and territorial integrity.
