News - Iran issues warning against border changes amid Armenia-Azerbaijan tensions

The Iranian Ministry of Defense has issued a stern warning against any alteration of international borders in the region, amidst heightened tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to IFP, while the statement did not explicitly mention the two neighboring countries, the focus of concern lies in Azerbaijan's recent threats of a potential incursion into southern Armenia, which shares a border with Iran. "We have announced that we will not allow any change of borders in the region. They wanted to introduce changes at some of our border points, but they did not dare and they will not dare," said Iranian Defense Ministry Spokesman Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik, as reported by the Fars news agency. He emphasized that when Iran asserts that borders must remain unchanged, it is backed by a certain foundation, including the country’s military capabilities. Following Armenia's defeat in the 2020 war, it became more susceptible to potential aggression from its more powerful southern neighbor, Azerbaijan. In such a scenario, Iran would lose a secure land corridor to the north through Georgia to Russia. Tehran has repeatedly warned against any such move by Azerbaijan and has bolstered its border presence to reinforce its stance. Earlier, the commander of the Iranian army's ground forces, General Kioumars Heydari, disclosed that they have deployed ten brigades in crucial border areas, including regions near Armenia and Azerbaijan. While the exact troop numbers were not specified, a brigade typically consists of 3,000-4,000 personnel. These brigades were strategically positioned in northwestern, western, southwestern, and northeastern areas to counter potential threats from "enemies."