“Armenia can never, under any circumstances, participate in any project that could be directed against its immediate neighbor, in this case, Iran in particular. All our international partners have been informed of this at all international meetings,” Simonyan said.
According to him, refusing to participate in initiatives directed against neighboring states is Yerevan’s principled political position.
TRIPP is a purely economic project.
Simonyan emphasized that the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project is economic in nature and does not envisage a military presence.
“TRIPP is an economic project. It does not envisage the presence of even a single armed service member,” the Security Council Secretary stated.
He urged that TRIPP not be viewed solely as a narrow transportation route for people and cargo.
According to Simonyan, the project could include various infrastructure components, including power lines and gas pipelines, which do not necessarily need to follow the same route.
As an example, he cited the possibility of constructing individual infrastructure facilities through the Tavush region or near Lake Sevan, if this is economically feasible and beneficial for Armenia.
Simonyan explained that discussions of the project initially focused on the railway connection, which, due to its geographical features and mountainous terrain, is expected to be located near the border with Iran.
“We have very beautiful and majestic mountains there, but from an economic standpoint, building a railway is impossible without it,” he noted.
Opportunities for Iran
The Secretary of the Security Council categorically ruled out using TRIPP against Iran, emphasizing that the project’s implementation could, on the contrary, open up additional economic opportunities for Tehran.
“On the contrary, TRIPP will open up opportunities for Iran as well. I think this understanding exists among both our international partners and Iran, for which we are grateful,” Simonyan stated.
About the TRIPP Project
On August 8, 2025, in Washington, the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States reached agreements to unblock regional communications, including through the implementation of TRIPP.
In May 2026, Armenia and the United States signed a framework agreement on strategic cooperation on the project. The document provides for the preservation of Armenia’s full sovereignty and jurisdiction in the TRIPP implementation areas, including border and customs control.
On November 7, 2026, representatives of Armenia, the United States, and Azerbaijan announced the launch of trilateral technical planning groups to advance TRIPP. The first two groups will focus on transportation and electricity transmission.
During a visit to Tehran on October 5, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan briefed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the progress of the TRIPP project. The parties also discussed regional stability and security.
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