The issue was on the agenda of their conversation, according to its official readouts. The Kremlin said only that the two leaders discussed, among other things, “developments in the South Caucasus.”
Pezeshkian was cited by his office as saying that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has assured him that Iran’s and Russia’s concerns about the transit arrangement have been “fully taken into account.”
“However, I believe that the 3+3 dialogue framework involving Iran and Russia would be a more effective and efficient mechanism for resolving issues in the Caucasus region,” he told Putin.
The Iranian president referred to the “Consultative Regional Platform 3+3” comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia and Turkey. The reference reflects Tehran’s strong opposition to any U.S. security presence in the region.
Pashinian pledged to give the U.S. exclusive rights to the transit corridor during his August 8 talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. A U.S.-Armenian memorandum signed there reportedly calls for a long-term U.S. lease on the corridor that would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave through Armenia’s Syunik province bordering Iran.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry was quick to express concern at the arrangement key details of which have still not been made public. Meeting with Pezeshkian in Yerevan on August 18, Pashinian again insisted that it will not undermine Armenian sovereignty over Syunik and will also benefit Iran. Pezezhkian was clearly not convinced by those assurances, saying any “outsourcing of regional issues” to outside powers would be bad for the region.
Russia’s public reaction to the transport agreement, seen by analysts as another blow to its presence in Armenia, has been cautious so far. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk discussed the issue with Pashinian in Yerevan on August 20. Overchuk made no public statements after the talks.
