13:18, 8 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan has held a meeting with the new Iranian ambassador Mehdi Sobhani.

During the meeting Grigoryan congratulated Ambassador Sobhani on assuming the responsible mission and expressed hope that during his tenure the latter will contribute to the further development and strengthening of the relations between the two friendly countries, Grigoryan’s office said in a readout.

Secretary Grigoryan and Ambassador Sobhani discussed a number of items on the Armenian-Iranian bilateral agenda, as well as the regional security situation. Grigoryan presented the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the Azerbaijani blockade of Lachin Corridor and Armenia’s stance on the matter.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

On July 26, Armenia sent a humanitarian convoy carrying emergency food and medication for Nagorno-Karabakh, but Azerbaijan blocked the trucks at the entrance of Lachin Corridor.