Tehran’s concerns and Baku’s demands: main topics of Alpha News Persian new episode

Expanding its presence on international media platforms, Alpha News presents a new episode of its Persian-language newscast, Alpha News Persian.

One of the program’s central topics was Armenia-US cooperation on the TRIPP project, Iran’s concerns over the American presence on the border, and Azerbaijan’s demands to amend the Constitution.

 The Armenian government has approved a framework agreement with the US on the TRIPP (“Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity”) project, which will be sent to the Constitutional Court. The document provides for granting the TRIPP company (74% US, 26% Armenia) the right to use the territories for 49 years to develop transport infrastructure. Konstantin Sokolov, an American businessman of Russian origin and one of Trump’s donors, has been appointed head of the $200 million fund. He will be responsible for the construction and operation of the route connecting Azerbaijan through Armenia to Turkey.

 Tehran’s concerns and Yerevan’s position. Expression of concern: Iran has voiced its concerns over the US security presence along the Armenian-Iranian border. Pashinyan’s response: despite Iran’s concerns, Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister, reaffirmed Yerevan’s determination to implement this route of international peace and prosperity as soon as possible.

 Hikmet Hajiyev, adviser to the President of Azerbaijan, stated that Armenia’s Constitution is blocking the peace treaty, and that Baku demands the removal of provisions interpreted as territorial claims. Ilham Aliyev claims that Washington has recognized the strategic significance of the “Zangezur corridor,” which, according to him, was discussed at the White House meeting attended by Trump and Pashinyan. In response, Ani Badalyan, spokesperson for the Armenian Foreign Ministry, stressed that the TRIPP project is being implemented exclusively on Armenia’s sovereign territory.

Watch episode 15 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBq6_TJtN8c