President: Corridor to Nakhchivan will not damage some interests

"With respect to the concerns of the border, I think these concerns are absolutely groundless," Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said speaking at a conference entitled ‘New Vision for South Caucasus: Post-Conflict Development and Cooperation’ at ADA University on April 13, Report informs.

"There have been such concerns in the beginning of the post-war period. But you know that there have been high-ranking delegations from Iran visiting Azerbaijan, minister of foreign affairs, deputy minister of foreign affairs, and we broadly discussed, I personally, with both of them, with Mr.Zarif and with Mr.Araqchi, we broadly discussed our views of that, and I think we found a common ground for that. And I know that after that they also had visits to Russia discussing the same issues, to Turkey, and we have full consensus. So, Iran strongly supports this project. Moreover, Iran strongly supports 3+3 format," the president said.

"It will in no way cut Iran from Armenia, it will be a kind of a railroad connection, highway connection," he said.

"Armenian railroad on our border does not mean that it will cut, it will damage some interests. On the contrary, it will allow Iran through the Nakhchivan corridor to go to Yeraskh and then to Armenia. Therefore, I think that from the Iranian government, we have full support to this project," the president said.

He noted that the restoration of the border with Iran opens up new opportunities, including in the construction and operation of hydropower facilities and hydropower plants "Khudaferin".

"We started to cooperate with Iranian side on creation of the power plant, hydropower plant of 200 MWt. Azerbaijan already with Iran agreed on the methodology of reimbursements of the investments," the president noted.