Khamenei tells Erdogan Iran will keep Armenian border open

Khamenei tells Erdogan Iran will keep Armenian border open
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Update: 19 July 2022 22:44
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Iran's Supreme Leader has said in his meeting with Turkish President that the Iranian-Armenian border 'is a connection route that has existed for thousands of years.'

Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Tuesday that Iran would oppose policies that call for the closing of the border between Iran and Armenia, Press TV reported.

"This border is a connection route that has existed for thousands of years," Khamenei said.

While Turkish and Azerbaijani administrations seek to connect the two countries via a 'Zangezur corridor' that passes through Armenia's Syunik Province, closing of the Armenian-Iranian border along that corridor would signify eliminating Armenian checkpoints, thus unimpeded access to Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Erdogan is visiting Tehran to hold talks with the Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The talks will take place within the framework of the Astana peace process which Tehran, Ankara and Moscow initiated in 2017, aiming to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

The meetings of presidents are critical particularly since Turkey has been planning to launch a large scale military campaign in northern Syria to further occupy parts of the region, allegedly in order to expand a 'security corridor' against 'terror threats'.

Khamenei also plainly expressed his objection to Erdogan concerning any military offensive in Syria, saying that an incursion into Syria will harm the entire region.