TEHRAN – The secretary of the Russian Security Council has reassured his Iranian counterpart of Moscow’s commitment to Iran’s sovereignty as Baku looks to create a transit route near the Iran-Armenia border to connect mainland Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan.

Sergey Shoigu told visiting Ali Akbar Ahmadian in a meeting in Saint Petersburg that Russia respects Iran’s sovereignty and national integrity regarding Azerbaijan’s proposed “Zangezur” corridor.

The remarks come after a flurry of criticism was directed at Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who told Russian media during a visit to Azerbaijan last month that Armenia should stop “sabotaging” a deal that would help Baku connect its 2020 annexed Nakhchivan territory to the rest of the Azeri soil. Lavorov used the term “Zangezur” to talk about the importance of creating a transit route inside Armenia to connect the two regions, which came under heavy scrutiny in Iran.

The so-called Zangezur corridor would alter Iran’s historic borders with Armenia as it requires Yerevan to concede the route’s control to either Baku or Moscow. Both Iran and Armenia have expressed strong opposition to the proposal, with multiple Iranian officials warning that Tehran would not tolerate any geopolitical changes in the region.

During the Tuesday meeting, Shoigu also told Iran’s secretary of National Security Council that Russia’s position is aligned with Iran regarding the Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb islands in the Persian Gulf.

The Persian Gulf islands of Abu Musa, the Greater and Lesser Tunbs have historically been part of Iran, proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid claim to the islands.