"We will break their legs": Iran's top leader's adviser issues stern warning to Armenia over 'Trump Corridor'

Ali Akbar Velayati, Iran’s Supreme Leader’s adviser on international affairs, delivered a firm statement to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, triggered by the advancement of the "Trump Road" initiative. The remarks were published in Iran’s *Jomhuri-e Eslami* newspaper.

The article is titled: "A frank and sincere conversation with Mr. Prime Minister of Armenia." Velayati addressed Armenia’s parliament’s approval of a bilateral agreement with the United States under the TRIPP—“Trump International Peace and Prosperity Path”—project. The proposed corridor would traverse Armenian territory, linking mainland Azerbaijan with the Nakhichevan exclave.

Velayati asserted that Pashinyan’s actions run counter to the interests of the Armenian people. He argued that such moves deepen the country’s reliance on Western powers and fuel renewed tensions in the South Caucasus region.

Velayati disclosed that he had conveyed Iran’s position directly to Armenian officials during meetings with Armenia’s deputy foreign minister and the Armenian ambassador to Tehran. He emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran will not tolerate U.S. involvement in the construction of the Zangezur corridor.

"I made it perfectly clear to the Armenian ambassador: If President Trump and his allies attempt to cross this red line—we will break their legs," Velayati quoted himself as saying.

On October 28, Armenia’s parliament approved the strategic partnership framework agreement with the United States in a full-session vote. The accord forms part of the broader TRIPP initiative.

The vote resulted in 63 votes in favor, 32 opposed, with no abstentions.

The TRIPP project originated from a trilateral meeting held in Washington on August 8, 2025, attended by U.S. President Donald Trump. The outcome included a joint declaration signed by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, affirming a peaceful resolution to relations between Yerevan and Baku, and establishing the foundation for a transport corridor connecting mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan. It is these understandings that form the basis of the "Trump International Peace and Prosperity Path" initiative.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881072597389328/

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