TEHRAN, September 08 (MNA) – Stressing the need for clarifying the position of Moscow and Baku regarding the Zangezur corridor, Iran's ex-envoy to Baku said that Western media are using this issue to disrupt Iran's relations with Russia and Azerbaijan.In an interview with Mehr News Agency, Iranian political expert and former diplomat Mohsen Pakaeen touched upon the recent statements made by Russian officials over the Zangezur corridor.

"The position taken by Russia after Putin's visit to Azerbaijan should be clarified," he said, adding that what is currently being perceived is that after Putin's comments, the Zangezur Corridor will be opened and the Iranian border will change immediately and the country would face challenges with Russia and Azerbaijan.

"This is while Azerbaijan and Russia are our friends, first of all, we must carefully examine the situation and enter into negotiations with Moscow and Baku to resolve the ambiguities so that we understand their intentions and do not have a negative behavior until the issue is clarified." The former ambassador of Iran to Azerbaijan stated that the opening of the Zangezur Corridor can happen in several ways.

He considered a military action by Russia and Azerbaijan could be one of the ways to open the corridor which would lead to the violation of the territorial integrity of Armenia and in this case, the international borders of Iran and Armenia would also be damaged.

"If such an event occurs, Western countries will definitely assist Armenia, and a new war will happen in the region, so I don't think that Russia and Azerbaijan want another war to occur in the region; because Azerbaijan and Armenia recently got rid of the Karabakh war and are signing a peace agreement, and both sides have declared that they recognize each other's territorial integrity; Therefore, opening the corridor of Zangezur through war is ruled out." The second way could be a peaceful negotiation between Azerbaijan and Armenia through which under the national sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan can have access to Nakhchivan, he said.

Pakaeen further stated that if such an agreement is reached, Armenia will definitely have demands like expecting Azerbaijan to allow it to pass through its soil to reach Iran.

Also, if Turkey wants to pass through this route, it should allow Armenia to reach the Black Sea from its northern borders, he added.

"Achieving these things requires long negotiations because Azerbaijan and Turkey are not interested in providing Armenia with new routes." "If this issue is pursued in the form of negotiations, it may take several years, that's why Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed not to mention it in the peace agreement." Therefore, Russia's statement should be weighed from all aspects before taking a position, because there are many obstacles to the opening of this corridor, and therefore it is necessary for the diplomats of the countries to negotiate with Moscow about this, he continued.

"It seems that the Western media have used the Zangezur issue and seek to disrupt our relations with Russia and Azerbaijan." According to him, Russia is seeking to open the Zangezur Corridor in a way that would be under the supervision of Russian forces according to the provisions of the 2020 ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which Armenia opposes this issue.

The issue that Putin raised in Baku is exactly one of the clauses of the 2020 agreement, he said, saying that the clause states that the parties must open the communication routes.

"The Russian president repeated this position again in Baku, which, of course, is not a new position, as Lavrov also raised such a position." MP/6217868