YEREVAN, Armenia - No U.S. military presence is planned along the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, or TRIPP, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Oct. 16.
Speaking to reporters, Mirzoyan said Armenia had explained the project’s terms to Iran and that the absence of U.S. troops followed from the documents governing the initiative, according to APA.
Mirzoyan said Iran had reacted positively and was satisfied with the process after receiving Armenia’s answers. He also acknowledged that Tehran still had other questions. His remarks represented Armenia’s characterization of Iran’s position rather than a separate statement from the Iranian government.
TRIPP is intended to provide a transport link through southern Armenia connecting Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave. Security arrangements and the scope of U.S. involvement have drawn close attention from Iran and other regional powers.
In separate remarks the same day, Mirzoyan said Armenia and Turkey had reached a stage in their negotiations at which a decision to open their border to bilateral passenger and cargo traffic could be made “at any moment,” Report said.
He did not announce a date or a joint decision. The comments therefore do not mean that the TRIPP route is operating or that the Armenia-Turkey border has opened.