YEREVAN — Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that Tehran has conveyed its concerns to Yerevan over the U.S.-backed TRIPP corridor project, while expressing confidence that Armenia would not take any action threatening Iranian security.
Speaking to Armenpress on the sidelines of the COP17 biodiversity summit in Yerevan, Araghchi addressed the project formally known as the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,” which would connect mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory with U.S. participation.
“We have concerns and sensitivities regarding any American presence in our surrounding region, but on this matter we are in direct contact with our Armenian friends, and we know they will not take any action against Iran’s security,” Araghchi said.
The Iranian foreign minister emphasized that consultations with Armenian authorities wil continue. 
“My good friend Ararat Mirzoyan traveled to Tehran, and we had good consultations. Today, President Pezeshkian will meet with the Armenian prime minister, perhaps for the second time in two weeks,” he added.
The remarks came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Yerevan on a one-day visit to attend the Leaders’ Summit on Biodiversity ahead of COP17. 
He met with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the summit, where the two sides discussed bilateral cooperation and the implementation of agreements reached during recent high-level exchanges.
Pashinyan thanked Pezeshkian for accepting the invitation, emphasizing the frequency of high-level bilateral meetings as evidence of both sides’ commitment to developing Armenia-Iran relations. Pezeshkian underscored the importance of deepening multifaceted ties with Armenia.
The high-frequency diplomacy follows a series of recent contacts. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan visited Tehran on October 5, where he met with Araghchi and discussed cooperation in energy, transport, and infrastructure — including the construction of a second bridge on the Armenia-Iran border and the completion of a third power transmission line.
During those talks, Mirzoyan presented ongoing work on the TRIPP project and the new opportunities it offers to regional states.
Iran has repeatedly signaled that any American presence in the South Caucasus is destabilizing. A spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry previously described U.S. involvement in the region as a source of concern.
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Mirzoyan sought to downplay Iranian concerns, telling a press briefing that media spin around the issue was “significantly exaggerated.” 
He said Iranian officials had asked whether there would be an American military presence along the TRIPP route. 
“There will not be. People ask, and we tell them there will not be. The documents attest to this, and reality attests to this,” Mirzoyan said, adding that Tehran’s questions had been answered and that his impression was the Iranian side was satisfied with the process.
The TRIPP project was agreed upon by Armenian, Azerbaijani, and U.S. leaders in Washington on August 8, 2025. It aims to provide transport connectivity while preserving Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction over the route.
The project has drawn scrutiny in Tehran given its proximity to the Iranian border, where it would run alongside an existing railway line. Iranian officials have consistently opposed any third-party military or strategic presence near its northern frontier, viewing the South Caucasus as a vital security buffer.