Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has acknowledged that Iran’s previous military exercises near its northwestern borders were deliberately aimed at countering the proposed “Zangezur Corridor” initiative.
Speaking to local media, Velayati said the drills served as a clear message of deterrence. “Those military exercises were not coincidental. They were a strategic move to signal Iran’s opposition to the so-called Zangezur Corridor project,” he stated.
The proposed corridor, which envisions connecting Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan through Armenia’s southern Syunik province, has raised alarm in Tehran. Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that any alteration of regional borders or transit routes without their involvement would be unacceptable.
Velayati underlined that Iran has adopted a policy of “active prevention” rather than a passive or reactive approach. “This is a matter of national security for us. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not sit idly when its borders and regional influence are at stake. Our strategic doctrine is based on active engagement to prevent undesirable developments,” he added.
Velayati’s remarks come amid renewed tensions over regional transport projects, as both geopolitical competition and infrastructure initiatives reshape the post-conflict landscape of the South Caucasus.
Missile development in North Korea is set to continue over the next five years. The country’s leader Kim Jong Un made the remarks during visits to m...
Torrential rain unleashed widespread flash flooding and mud flows across Southern California on Wednesday, as authorities warned motorists to stay off...
The United States carried out a strike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of Nigeria's government, President Donald T...
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday announced his support for his son Flavio Bolsonaro’s 2026 presidential candidacy while recover...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that he held an approximately one-hour discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump’s specia...
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday announced his support for his son Flavio Bolsonaro’s 2026 presidential candidacy while recovering from a planned hernia operation, which doctors said went smoothly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that he held an approximately one-hour discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on ways to end the war with Russia.
Polish fighter jets on Thursday intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft flying near Poland’s airspace over the Baltic Sea and escorted it away from their area of responsibility.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has welcomed remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicating progress in the normalisation process between Ankara and Yerevan, describing the moment as ripe for concrete steps.
A majority of Russians expect the war in Ukraine to end in 2026, state pollster VTsIOM said on Wednesday, in a sign that the Kremlin could be testing public reaction to a possible peace settlement as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict intensify.
Military representatives from Cambodia and Thailand met in Chanthaburi province on Wednesday ahead of formal ceasefire talks at the 3rd special GBC meeting scheduled for 27th December.
Thailand and Cambodia both reported fresh clashes on Wednesday, as the two sides prepared to hold military talks aimed at easing tensions along their shared border.
In 2025, Ukraine lived two parallel realities: one of diplomacy filled with staged optimism, and another shaped by a war that showed no sign of letting up.
It’s been a year since an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. Relatives and loved ones mourn the victims, as authorities near the final stage of their investigation.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has welcomed remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicating progress in the normalisation process between Ankara and Yerevan, describing the moment as ripe for concrete steps.
Kazakhstan has made a notable advance in the global Government AI Readiness Index, moving up to 60th place out of 195 countries in the 2025.
As Christmas is celebrated worldwide, the faithful in Baku gathered at St. Mary’s Catholic Church to partake in prayers, songs, and community celebrations.
Three alleged members of a "terrorist origanisation" have been killed in a military operation in the Shamsiddin Shohin district according to Tajikistan’s Border Troops.
The Spiral is an AnewZ original documentary that explores the 25 December, 2024 tragedy in which an Embraer 190‑100 operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) crashed.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment