Armenia to Access Iran’s Railway via Nakhchivan: Azeri President

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said on Monday that Armenia will gain access to Iran’s railway network through the autonomous republic of Nakhchivan, as part of broader plans to connect the region’s railways, according to Azerbaijan’s Azertaj news agency.

Aliyev said that Baku intends to connect the regions of Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur to Nakhchivan, noting that Armenia would also benefit from the project. “Roads between Armenia and Azerbaijan and between Armenia and Turkey will be opened, and Armenia will have access to Iran’s railway through Nakhchivan and to Russia’s railway through Azerbaijan,” he said in an interview with Azerbaijani media, IRNA reported.

Back on August 8, Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed the US-mediated peace deal at the White House. The accord includes the creation of a transit corridor through Armenia to connect Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan – a longstanding demand of Baku.

“Currently, travel from Azerbaijan’s main territory to Nakhchivan requires a longer route through Bilasuvar, – the capital of the Bilasuvar District of Azerbaijan,” Aliev added.

In the future, the journey will cover only 45–50 kilometers through Iranian territory, creating two connections from the main part of Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan; one via Iran and the other via Armenia, Aliyev said.

The Azerbaijani president also emphasized the need for a railway line connecting Nakhchivan to Turkey. - Iran Daily