Discussions around the TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity) project have intensified again in Armenia amidst the ongoing US-Iran confrontation.
Modern.az reports that an analysis published in the "Hraparak" newspaper by Armenian political commentator Tigran Dumikyan emphasizes that the project could negatively affect Armenia-Iran relations.
The author notes that the project envisages US participation in a certain format on Armenian territory. Although official Yerevan states that this only serves to develop regional transport links and expand economic cooperation, Tehran does not find these explanations convincing.
The analysis states that the increasingly harsh statements by Iranian officials recently indicate that Armenian diplomacy has not been able to explain the situation adequately. The author considers this dangerous, especially given Armenia's economic dependence on Iran.
The article emphasizes that Armenia meets approximately 20 percent of its natural gas demand from Iran. The annual trade turnover between the two countries is approximately 800 million US dollars. In addition, Iran is one of the main transit routes for products imported into Armenia from India, China, Persian Gulf countries, and Southeast Asia.
The author believes that Armenia has not yet been able to normalize its relations with Russia. The article recalls that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had stated that the restrictions imposed by Russia would be lifted after the parliamentary elections. He based this on his personal relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
However, the analysis notes that after the elections, neither Putin nor Mishustin congratulated Pashinyan, and the meeting with Mishustin in Yekaterinburg did not create significant progress in Armenia-Russia relations.
