Analyst: Aliyev reasserts 'corridor' narrative as Yerevan's silence fuels concerns

Political analyst Suren Surenyants warns that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is once again doubling down on his “corridor” rhetoric. Speaking at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, Aliyev portrayed Azerbaijan as a rising Eurasian transport hub and expressed confidence that the so-called “Zangezur Corridor” would soon emerge as a vital artery connecting continents.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Surenyants noted that Aliyev’s remarks follow his earlier statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where he insisted that the Zangezur route must become an integral part of both the Middle Corridor and the North–South Corridor.

“This is not just a matter of terminology,” Surenyants wrote. “Aliyev is consistently pushing the idea that the Syunik road should not operate under Armenian sovereignty, but with a special status.”

According to the analyst, Aliyev’s narrative serves a dual purpose. Domestically, it demonstrates to his public that Baku has not backed down from the “corridor” demand, while internationally, it positions Azerbaijan as indispensable to trans-Eurasian trade, while framing the Middle Corridor as incomplete without Azerbaijan’s terms.

“Armenia’s position is clear: roads may open, but no ‘corridor’ will exist. All communication routes must function under Armenian sovereign control,” Surenyants stressed.

The lingering question, he argued, is whether Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government will firmly uphold this principleor or make further concessions to Baku. To date, neither Pashinyan nor Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has publicly rejected claims that the Syunik route might be leased to the U.S. for 99 years, nor have they clarified whether Armenia would maintain customs control.

“This silence only deepens public suspicion that Yerevan has already made – or is preparing to make – serious concessions on Syunik,” Surenyants concluded.