Zangezur not economic project but strategic trap – Iranian MP

Iranian parliamentary commission member Majid Dustanov has issued a warning against external interference in the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Zangezur corridor. According to him, the issue should be resolved exclusively through the efforts of the two countries, without the involvement of the United States, which, he noted, “has never sought peace in the region.”

Dustanov said the idea of a 99-year lease of Zangezur to the United States is not just an economic project, but a dangerous geopolitical trap. It could, in his view, create a permanent threat on Iran’s northwestern borders and shift the strategic balance in the South Caucasus in favor of Washington and its allies.

The Iranian lawmaker emphasized Tehran’s firm stance: any agreement bringing the US military presence closer to the country’s borders will be considered a threat to sovereignty and national security and will be categorically rejected. He also urged the Foreign Ministry, the armed forces and all Iranian state structures to show maximum vigilance to thwart such plans and prevent the weakening of the country’s position in the region.