Harsh criticism from Iran to Trump's Zangezur Corridor remarks: 'It will be a graveyard'

Ali Akbar Velayati, advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reacted to US President Donald Trump's remarks regarding the Zangezur Corridor following the tripartite memorandum of understanding signed yesterday between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the US. Criticizing US President Donald Trump's claim that the Zangezur Corridor had been leased for 99 years, Velayati stated, "The South Caucasus is not an ownerless place that Trump can lease. This passage is not his property; it will be a graveyard for his mercenaries."

"WE HAD SHOWN OUR DETERMINATION"

Velayati said, "This corridor changes the geopolitical position of the region, shifts borders, and is designed with the aim of fragmenting Armenia. When Turkey and Azerbaijan insisted on the construction of this corridor, the Iranian Armed Forces, under the command of the then-Chief of General Staff Bagheri, conducted numerous military exercises in the northwest of the country. These exercises demonstrated our readiness and determination to prevent this initiative."

"HE THINKS HE IS A REAL ESTATE AGENT"

Advisor Velayati stated, "The rhetoric of one country leasing a corridor to another is a naive expression, and Trump seems to have gotten carried away by this naivety. Trump's claim that he has leased a corridor on this side of the world is like someone getting up from here and leasing the Panama Canal. This is impossible and will never happen. As always, Trump is uttering flashy but empty words. He thinks he is a real estate agent and wants to lease land and territory."

"IRAN WILL BLOCK THE US CORRIDOR"

Velayati recalled that during Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan's previous visit to Iran, the government had characterized the project in question as "clearly harmful and intended as a conspiracy," and that he himself had expressed opposition to the construction of the corridor. Advisor Velayati said, "The construction of the Zangezur Corridor will lead to changes in Iran's borders and will make the country's land connection to the north and northwest dependent on Turkey. If this plan is implemented, the security of the South Caucasus will be endangered. Therefore, Iran, whether with Russia or not, will take steps for the security of the region and will block the US corridor. Furthermore, we believe that strategically, Russia is also against this corridor."

News Source: İHA