Iran Proposed Peace Plan During 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, Says Former Foreign Minister

In his recently published memoirs, former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reveals that during the 44-day war in 2020, Iran prepared a proposal document aimed at resolving the conflict. Zarif states that Iran sent the document, which contained various proposals for peace, to four countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and Russia.

“At that time, through Abbas Araghchi, who was then Deputy Foreign Minister, we sent our proposals for ending the war to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and Russia. The document included suggestions such as the liberation of occupied territories, the opening of regional communications, the protection of ethnic minority rights, the restoration of a land route between Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan with Tehran’s support, and the operation of a direct corridor from Armenia to Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Turkey expressed their readiness to discuss our proposal, while the Armenians unequivocally rejected it, and Russia did not respond at all,” Zarif noted.

He further explains that Iran proposed its participation in the peace process, which was accepted by Baku, Yerevan, and Ankara. However, Russia dismissed the need for Iran’s involvement. Zarif criticizes Armenia’s refusal to accept Iran’s proposal as a significant strategic mistake, stating, “Pashinyan, with his inexperience at the time, told Araghchi, ‘You want to force Armenia to accept defeat.’”

The former foreign minister also highlights that Iran had repeatedly warned Armenia about the situation in Karabakh. “In 2020, Karabakh returned to Azerbaijan, and Baku liberated the occupied territories. During the years of Karabakh’s occupation, Tehran repeatedly warned Yerevan. The occupation of another country’s territory is unacceptable,” Zarif emphasized.

Admitting indirectly that Iran had prepared a more favorable peace document for Armenia, Zarif recounts his visit to Yerevan after Armenia’s defeat. “They admitted that the war could have been ended with a more suitable agreement. Yerevan’s stubborn resistance to Tehran’s proposals was not correct.”

Mohammad Javad Zarif served as Iran’s foreign minister from 2013 to 2021. Abbas Araghchi, mentioned in the negotiations, is considered a leading candidate to become Iran’s next foreign minister.