Yerevan assures Tehran: there will be no American troops along TRIPP

The Iranian side has received comprehensive answers to its questions regarding the implementation of the TRIPP project, and Tehran no longer has any reason for concern.

Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan said this in a conversation with journalists on the sidelines of COP17.

Commenting on reports about Iran's concerns, the head of the Armenian foreign ministry noted that in some Armenian media outlets this topic has been substantially exaggerated, Armenian media report.

"The sauce under which Iran's concern over TRIPP is served in some Armenian media outlets is, to put it mildly, exaggerated. The Iranian side certainly had questions, but answers to them have been given, and, as far as I can tell, the Iranian side is satisfied with the explanations it received," Mirzoyan emphasized.

As an example, the head of Armenia's Foreign Ministry cited Tehran's question about a possible American military presence along the TRIPP route.

"The Iranian side asks: will there be an American military presence along TRIPP? We answer — there will not be. This is confirmed both by official documents and by the actual state of affairs. This is a normal dialogue: they have a question, we give a clear answer to it. In Iran they understand that if there is no military presence, then they will also be able to use this railway network, which fully suits them," the diplomat explained.

Answering a question about the statement by the speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, that the interference of extra-regional forces is capable of destabilizing the situation in the region, Mirzoyan noted that he shares that position.

"I can say the same thing on my own behalf. In general, this is a textbook truth: the armed presence of a third party anywhere in the relations between two countries only complicates life for those two parties," the Armenian minister concluded.