Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, said Iran will prevent the creation of an American corridor in the Caucasus region no matter whether Moscow will join Tehran or not.
In an exclusive interview with local Iranian Tasnim News Agency, Velayati dismissed the idea of the so-called Zangezur corridor that is designed to link the Republic of Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan.
Asked about an agreement to grant the US a 99-year development lease on the corridor, located along Armenia's border with Iran, Velayati said such a corridor will become a graveyard for the mercenaries of Donald Trump, not a route owned by the US president.
The Caucasus is one of the world’s most sensitive regions, he added, saying Iran has always opposed the creation of the Zangezur corridor, as it would alter the region’s geopolitics, redraw borders, and lead to Armenia’s disintegration.
He noted that the corridor plan is fiercely opposed by the Armenian people as well, because it will entail disintegration of their country.
Velayati said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had announced in previous visits to Iran that the plot for the corridor has definite harms and had expressed his opposition to the creation of the corridor in concurrence with Iran’s stances.
The former foreign minister warned that the implementation of the corridor plan will jeopardize the security of South Caucasus.
“As a result, Iran has insisted that it will move in line with the security of South Caucasus, with or without Russia. We believe that Russia is also strategically opposed to that corridor,” Velayati said.
The Zangezur corridor is not a mere trade route, but a political plot against Iran and other neighboring countries, he warned, saying, “Apart from Turkey, which is a member of NATO, the other NATO countries want to be present in this region too. NATO wants to lie between Iran and Russia like a viper, but Iran will not permit it.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly warned that Moscow will take action if Ukraine intends to join NATO, he said, adding that Iran will also prevent NATO from getting closer to its northern borders. “We believe that prevention is better than treatment.”
Velayati emphasized that links between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan would not need any corridors, saying they can use the Iranian soil for connection.
“The equations and arrangements of this region are not confined to the two countries of Azerbaijan and Armenia. A geopolitical change in the region will relocate the borders of Iran too. Therefore, we have the right to defend our interests quite strongly,” he underlined.
The senior adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution further pointed to the latest developments in Lebanon and the American push for the disarmament of Hezbollah, saying, “This is not the first time that such discussions are raised in Lebanon. Such anti-Lebanese plots were futile in the past and they will not get anywhere this time either. Resistance will stand against these plots.”
Velayati said Hezbollah has gotten stronger and has powerfully safeguarded Lebanon against the Israeli aggression.
“The Lebanese nation and the regional nations wonder if the government of Lebanon has any concerns about protecting its country and nation as it is proposing such plans,” Velayati added, warning that if Hezbollah drops its weapons, nobody will be able to safeguard the lives, assets and honor of the Lebanese people.
He stated that the US and the Israeli regime will never manage to appoint another al-Julani in Lebanon.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is certainly opposed to the disarmament of Hezbollah, because Iran has always assisted the Lebanese nation and resistance and will continue such assistance at present.”
Commenting on the US plot to disarm Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, Velayati said former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki has said in a recent telephone conversation that the US and Israel have plans for the disarmament of Hashd al-Shaabi in the next stage after Lebanon.
“Mr. Maliki and I have emphasized that both Iran and Iraq will oppose and stand against disarmament, be it the disarmament of Lebanese Hezbollah or Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaabi,” he stated.
He warned that the US will “swallow” Iraq without the presence of Hashd al-Shaabi, which plays the same role in Iraq that Hezbollah is playing in Lebanon.
Velayati recommended that the wise people of Lebanon should stand against those that are spearheading the plot for disarmament of Hezbollah, saying that, otherwise, the resistance will confront that plot. “We will be also supporting the resistance.”
He finally praised the Yemeni forces as the gem of the resistance axis, saying they have the Bab al-Mandab Strait under their control and are confronting the plans by the US, the UK, Australia and others.
“The Yemenis have frustrated the Zionist regime and the US. The resistance of Syria will be rising in future as well and thwart the Israeli plots,” he added.
