Iran’s Envoy In Yerevan Defends Armenia's Territorial Integrity

After warnings by Armenia of a fresh Azerbaijani military threat, Iran's Ambassador in Yerevan, Mehdi Sobhani, has reiterated Tehran's stance against any territorial alterations in the region.

In an interview with Armenpress, Sobhani emphasized, “The final position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is that we cannot accept a territorial change in any way. Any territorial changes should take place on the basis of mutual recognition of the territorial integrity of both countries, and this remains our final position...the territorial integrity of the countries of the region should be respected."

Expressing concern over regional stability, the Iranian diplomat stated that Tehran finds it “unacceptable” to witness a volatile situation around Armenia.

His comments come as tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to escalate. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Thursday rejected Azerbaijan's persistent demands for legislative changes in Armenia, warning of potential "large-scale" military aggression from Baku.

Pashinian accused Azerbaijani leadership of pursuing a "policy of military coercion" to seize Armenian territory and extract concessions. He highlighted Azerbaijan's reluctance to demarcate the border, following a ceasefire violation that resulted in the death of four Armenian soldiers on Tuesday.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday maintained his stance, stating that he won't sign a peace treaty unless Armenia revises its legislation, which he claims contains territorial claims on Azerbaijan.

Amidst the tension, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reaffirmed Tehran's opposition to the presence of external powers in the South Caucasus during discussions with a senior visiting Armenian official.

Iran supports Armenia's stance against Azerbaijani requests for an extraterritorial corridor linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave via Syunik, the sole Armenian region sharing a border with the Islamic Republic.