Armenia can get a railway connection to Iran through the territory of Azerbaijan, including Nakhchivan.
Modern.az reports that Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this while answering questions about the TRIPP project in parliament.
According to the minister, Azerbaijan will gain the opportunity to move from the territory of Armenia to Nakhchivan and in the opposite direction. In return, Armenia will be able to establish connections between different parts of the country and with third countries by using Azerbaijan's territory and infrastructure.
Mirzoyan noted that Armenia could gain the opportunity to transport goods to Iran via Nakhchivan, and to Central Asia, China, and other directions via Azerbaijani territory.
Touching upon the organization of border procedures within the framework of the project, the minister stated that the purpose of the “front office” and “back office” mechanism is to facilitate and accelerate the passage of passengers and goods. According to him, decisions will be made by employees of the relevant state bodies of Armenia.
Mirzoyan also emphasized that the project is not limited to the railway passing only through the Meghri area. He stated that the routes of possible oil and gas pipelines have not yet been determined and these infrastructures could also pass through other territories of Armenia.
The minister said that the issue of creating stops on the railway has not been discussed so far. However, considering Armenia's use of that line for cargo and passenger transportation, he considered the presence of stops necessary.
