Erdogan Claims Armenian Government Softening on Azeri and Turkish Corridor Demands

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed that Armenia is now more open to Azerbaijani demands for a land corridor through Armenian territory to connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhijevan exclave. This corridor, which would cut through Armenia’s southern Syunik province, has long been a top strategic goal for both Azerbaijan and Turkey.

“Although Armenia was initially opposed to the ‘Zangezur Corridor,’ it is now taking a more flexible approach to participating in economic integration,” Erdogan said, according to Turkish news agencies. He also described the corridor as a “geo-economic revolution” that would benefit the wider region.

Armenia has not confirmed any such shift in position. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently met with Erdogan in Istanbul, a meeting that sparked speculation Yerevan may be preparing to make major compromises. Ahead of the meeting, Pashinyan told members of the Armenian community in Turkey that even if Armenia retains full control over the infrastructure, Azerbaijan would still call the route a “corridor.” That statement has only added to domestic concerns.

The Syunik region is of vital importance to Armenia. It is the only part of the country bordering Iran and serves as a natural buffer against Turkish and Azerbaijani influence. Any land corridor under foreign or extraterritorial control would severely undermine Armenia’s sovereignty and cut the country’s direct link to Iran—isolating it from key trade routes and geopolitical support. Many in Armenia view the so-called Zangezur Corridor not as a regional benefit, but as a serious threat to national security.

The Armenian government has repeatedly stated that it supports regional connectivity—but only under full Armenian jurisdiction. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Ani Badalyan reiterated that Armenia backs its “Crossroads of Peace” initiative, which envisions the opening of transport routes that are managed and controlled entirely by Armenia. She said the government has made several proposals consistent with this vision, though she did not offer specifics.

In a stronger statement, Artur Hovhannisyan, the secretary of the ruling Civil Contract party’s parliamentary faction, rejected any suggestion of concessions. “The Republic of Armenia has not made and will not make any concessions. I will give the remaining comments when I get familiarized with the statement you brought in as much detail as possible,” Hovhannisyan said Monday in response to Erdogan’s claims.

When asked whether Armenia would ever step back from its principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty, he responded: “We have repeatedly stated and I believe that anyone who makes such calls to retreat from the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia, in essence also the constitutional order, thereby overthrowing it should have appropriate criminal and legal consequences.”

Despite these strong words, many Armenians remain skeptical. Opposition lawmakers say the public has often learned about critical agreements only after announcements are made by Baku or Ankara. “For quite a while, we have witnessed vicious situations where we first heard from Baku or Ankara about some agreement … which the Armenian government presented, after some delay, to our people as a fait accompli,” said opposition MP Gegham Manukyan of the Hayastan alliance.

Tigran Abrahamyan, another opposition lawmaker, criticized Pashinyan’s government for removing neutral international mediators from the process and instead bringing Turkey into the negotiation table. Given Turkey’s history of hostility toward Armenia and its role in supporting Azerbaijan during the 2020 war, many see this approach as unacceptable and dangerous.

In late May, reports surfaced that the United States proposed a plan where an American company would oversee customs and security checks on the proposed Nakhijevan route. While the Armenian Foreign Ministry has not denied this report, it remains unclear whether this means Armenia is preparing to outsource part of its sovereign responsibilities to foreign companies.

This corridor issue also deeply affects Armenia’s relationship with Iran. Tehran has strongly objected to any route that would alter the current border arrangements or disconnect Iran from Armenia. Iranian officials view the so-called corridor plan as a direct threat to their influence and access in the region.

Despite the government’s efforts to calm the public with assurances, the tension continues to grow. For many Armenians—both in the country and across the diaspora—the idea of yielding even partial control of Armenian territory to Turkey or Azerbaijan is unacceptable. Erdogan’s open celebration of Armenia’s supposed “flexibility” has only heightened concerns.

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