Turkish Press: Iran war may accelerate Armenia–Azerbaijan peace push and resh

P.A. Turkey
Mar 24 2026

The war in Iran is emerging as an unexpected catalyst for reconciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as both countries seek to capitalize on new trade opportunities linking Europe to Central Asia. The conflict has underscored Europe’s energy vulnerability and boosted interest in alternative transit corridors, including the US-backed TRIPP project. Analysts say the shifting geopolitical landscape could create a rare window for lasting peace—while also reshaping regional power dynamics.


War reshapes incentives for regional cooperation

The escalation of conflict in Iran is prompting a strategic reassessment across the South Caucasus.

  • Armenia and Azerbaijan, both bordering Iran, face rising geopolitical and economic risks
  • The disruption of Middle Eastern energy flows has highlighted the need for alternative trade routes

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently signaled renewed urgency in advancing regional connectivity projects, particularly with Azerbaijan.


TRIPP corridor gains renewed importance

At the center of these efforts is the US-backed TRIPP (Trans-Regional Infrastructure and Partnership Project) agreement.

  • Signed as part of a broader normalization framework
  • Aims to connect mainland Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan via Armenian territory
  • Forms a key segment of the so-called “Middle Corridor”

This route would link Central Asia’s energy resources to Europe via Türkiye, bypassing both Russia and Iran.


The Iran war is also strengthening Türkiye’s strategic position in the region.

“We also shouldn’t forget the benefits of the Iran war,” said Turkey analyst Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners. “They [Ankara] want a weak Iran so that they can expand their footprint in the South Caucasus against Iran.”

Yesilada added that the conflict increases the likelihood of the TRIPP corridor becoming viable:

“We get the Trump Road because nobody would want to traverse Iran under these conditions… and you get not immediate but gradual, but permanent, development boost from trade and investment along that route.”


Europe seeks alternatives to Middle East energy

The war has reinforced Europe’s need to diversify energy supply.

  • Roughly 20% of global energy flows are affected by Middle East disruptions
  • Central Asia—particularly Turkmenistan’s vast gas reserves—has become more attractive

However, experts warn that:

  • Infrastructure costs are high
  • Political risks remain elevated

A fragile but real opportunity for peace

Despite lingering tensions over Nagorno-Karabakh, analysts see a rare diplomatic opening.

  • Economic interdependence could reduce incentives for conflict
  • Trade and infrastructure projects may anchor long-term stability

“There is a sort of window of opportunity,” said regional experts, pointing to growing fatigue with conflict and desire for economic normalization.


Challenges remain: geopolitics and investment risks

The region remains highly volatile:

  • Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine
  • Iran conflict to the south
  • Uncertainty over large-scale European investment

Additionally, EU reluctance to fund fossil fuel infrastructure could complicate financing for energy corridors.


Strategic shift: Türkiye and the Caucasus

The evolving dynamics also highlight Türkiye’s expanding role:

  • Acting as a bridge between Europe and Central Asia
  • Strengthening influence in the South Caucasus
  • Leveraging geopolitical shifts to advance economic goals

Conclusion: Conflict may unlock long-term transformation

While the Iran war is destabilizing in the short term, it may accelerate structural change in the region.

  • New trade corridors could reshape global energy flows
  • Armenia–Azerbaijan rapprochement may gain momentum
  • Türkiye’s regional influence is likely to expand

If sustained, these trends could turn a geopolitical crisis into a long-term strategic realignment.

Dorian Jones

Nikol Pashinyan will depart, leaving “landmines” under statehood – Mesrop Ara

Aysor, Armenia
Mar 24 2026

The fact that Azerbaijan continues to make demands on Armenia has long been evident, and the authorities’ reluctance to address this openly – or their tendency to use it as a tool of intimidation – is purely propagandistic in nature, wrote Mesrop Arakelyan, co-founder of the “Land to Live” party.

“Since 2020, Azerbaijan has consistently put forward demands to the Armenian authorities. Some are temporarily withdrawn, only to re-emerge later, depending on expediency and the evolving situation.

Now, on the eve of elections, the issue of constitutional amendments is once again being raised. To avoid this, Nikol Pashinyan is resorting to fear-based rhetoric, warning the public of war.

Is there a risk of war? Yes, there is – regardless of whether Pashinyan remains in power or not. These risks must be reduced and neutralized. However, the solution does not lie in continuous concessions, but in effective engagement with international partners and open dialogue with Azerbaijan – areas in which the current government has consistently fallen short.

Nikol Pashinyan will eventually depart, leaving behind numerous landmines planted beneath Armenia’s statehood – challenges that will require an exceptionally professional government to defuse.”

The Prime Minister can make prediction of war: Alen Simonyan

Aysor, Armenia
Mar 24 2026

Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan claims that Nikol Pashinyan has the right to say that if the Civil Contract is not in power, there will be war.

“Politicians are able to make political analyzes, and the country’s prime minister, having information, can also make such a prediction,” he said in a conversation with reporters.

According to Simonyan, the opposition also say there is a war, yet when the prime minister says it, it is met with surprise.

“People tell us thank you for the peace, because people’s children do not die, they do not go to the border, people are less anxious when their child is drafted into the army, etc.,” he emphasized.

Simonyan said that people approach them and say, “close their page, let’s get rid of them.”

He stated that Armenia should not have and does not have territorial claims from neighboring countries.

How do they know that there will be a war in September? – Garnik Danielyan

Aysor, Armenia
Mar 24 2026

How do they know that there will be a war in September? During a briefing with journalists, NA deputy Garnik Danielyan raised a question, referring to Nikol Pashinyan’s claim.

“It could mean something, maybe there are agreements, maybe they have communication with Azerbaijan in a certain sense and know the exact day and hour of the war,” he said.

Danielyan reminded that there was no war during Robert Kocharyan’s years in power. “If they are talking about victims, then go and see with statistics: during whose rule, how many wars there were, how many victims there were, what a disaster it was.”

He considered the claims of these authorities that previously victorious presidents allegedly surrendered Artsakh a “stupid thesis.” “After all, there is history, isn’t there? During the First Artsakh War, when they reached the outskirts of Stepanakert, thanks to the struggle and heroic path of these people, the territory of the Republic of Artsakh was 12,000 km².”

This is not peace, but an unmanaged ceasefire – Tigran Abrahamyan

Aysor, Armenia
Mar 24 2026

The predictable behavior of the government is gaining new momentum in the electoral processes, at the core of which is the eternal discourse of “war and peace,” Tigran Abrahamyan, Secretary of the I Have Honor faction, announced from the NA platform.

“The government is initially guided not by the existence of guarantees of peace, but by the principle of threatening the public with war.

The ruling regime bases its longevity on the principle of ensuring its seemingly short-term peace at all costs, through concessions, defeat, and submission.

However, from the point of view of public indicators and a pragmatic approach, the political force during whose tenure the country has been subjected to aggression and attacks 5-6 times clearly cannot have the reputation of a peacemaker.

Second, the government’s claim that if they do not remain at the helm of the state, the country will plunge into a vortex of war is yet another justification for the fact that the status quo on the border is not so much peace as an uncontrolled ceasefire.

Third, Azerbaijan’s demands and ambitions have grown steadily over the past five years, and there is no guarantee they will not increase after the elections if the incumbents remain in power, which will lead either to new concessions or to a new war.

Fourth, those countries that are doomed to success in war are those where there are deep dividing lines in society, where hostility and hatred are sown between different groups. The ruling regime nurtures and exploits this to secure domestic political interests.

The formula for real peace is the introduction of necessary mechanisms of security and diplomacy that ensure state interests. The flexibility of these mechanisms, on the one hand, implies compromise, and on the other, provides the necessary safety cushions.

The people are tired of your empty promises, your behavior that constantly leads to tension and implies psychological violence, and are looking for real peace.

Our society is tired of wars, but even more tired of the defeats you have brought, your undignified attitude, your never-ending misfortunes, and your endless lies.

Ultimately, the public is tired of you, and your possible further participation in political processes outlines the prospect of new failures, losses, concessions, and war,” Abrahamyan stated.

Russian fertilizer and buckwheat sent to Armenia via Azerbaijan

Aysor, Armenia
Mar 24 2026

Russian fertilizer and buckwheat have been dispatched to Armenia via Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani media report.

The shipment includes four wagons carrying 271 tons of fertilizer and one wagon loaded with 68 tons of buckwheat. The train is expected to reach Armenia through Georgia.

Earlier, more than 23,000 tons of grain and over 700 tons of fertilizer had already been delivered to Armenia in transit via Azerbaijan.

Eleveight AI deploys 512 Nvidia B300s at 2MW data center in Gagarin, Armenia

Data Center Dynamics
Mar 23 2026

Construction of facility slated for completion this month

The June 7 election will be a choice between peace and possible war: Civil Con

Tert, Armenia
Mar 24 2026
“Yes, the current government of the Republic of Armenia, the Civil Contract Party, is a party of peace, and yes, the other main opposition actors are parties of war,” said the Speaker of the National Assembly, Alen Simonyan, during a briefing in parliament.

He noted that this is the current reality: if people say they intend to make territorial claims beyond the borders of Armenia, this is called war.

“Call it whatever you want, but that is what it is. Am I to blame that Robert Kocharyan speaks about it? Am I to blame that other political forces are moving in that direction? I say the following: people, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, unresolved border issues were left everywhere – in Central Asia, in Ukraine, and in our region. And we were told: you who live in Armenia should always dream that your home is not only here, but also there, and we will take care of you – so that we always remain dependent on them.

And yes, there is a party of war, and there is a party of peace, and the June 7, 2026 election will be about choosing between peace and possible war,” added the Speaker of Parliament.

Analyst: Interest in TRIPP initiative diminished

Panorama, Armenia
Mar 24 2026

Political analyst Mher Abrahamyan said global oil prices fell sharply on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had held productive talks with Iran on resolving the conflict. Abrahamyan highlighted that Trump’s comments also increased the likelihood of declines in certain stock values.

“Trump has not evolved into a political leader; he remains fundamentally a businessman,” Abrahamyan wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. “With this statement, he drove prices down so that he and his associates could purchase oil and stocks at lower rates. Later, through renewed military activity, they would create opportunities to sell them at higher prices. This war is one of Trump’s business ventures. He views everything through the lens of money and trade.”

Abrahamyan further observed that interest in the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) has waned, saying that it does not involve significant financial resources.

Protesters in Yerevan demand release of 2020 war report

Panorama, Armenia
Mar 24 2026

Families of soldiers killed or missing in the 2020 Artsakh war and civic activists on Tuesday rallied outside the Armenian National Assembly in central Yerevan, demanding the release of a long-awaited investigative report on the 44-day conflict.

Protesters accused the authorities of concealing the findings of a parliamentary commission that studied the circumstances of the war and decision-making. “For years they promised arrests and accountability, but now they claim the report is classified,” said public and political activist Gevorg Gevorgyan. “We lost thousands of lives and an entire country. The people deserve to know who is responsible.”

Relatives of missing servicemen said they had hoped the commission would clarify search efforts and provide answers about the fate of their loved ones. Families of fallen soldiers also pressed for transparency on battlefield orders and conditions surrounding the deaths.

Organizers said they had formally petitioned the parliament speaker to release the report but were rejected on grounds of secrecy. They now plan to appeal to the leaders of Armenian parliament factions to raise the issue during ongoing sessions.

Commission chair Andranik Kocharyan previously stated the findings could lead to thousands of criminal cases, fueling expectations among families that accountability would follow. Protesters insisted that the report be debated publicly and that responsibility for the war outcome be clearly established.