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| Teoman Aktan, political scientist |
Political scientist and activist Teoman Aktan, in an interview with Voice of America, evaluated the differing perspectives in Iran regarding the Zangezur Corridor. Aktan stated that politicians and intellectuals from Iranian Azerbaijan view such issues quite differently from central Iranian politicians.
“In Iran, there are different reactions to the Zangezur Corridor. On one hand, there are reactions from intellectuals in Turkish regions, particularly in Azerbaijan. Whether they belong to the reformist or conservative wing, local intellectuals focus on how this project can contribute to regional prosperity. However, central Iranian intellectuals approach the issue from a very different angle. It is an undeniable reality that Iran’s Azerbaijani region shares cultural and linguistic ties with Northern Azerbaijan, and central Iranian intellectuals perceive this closeness as a threat,” Teoman Aktan explains.
According to the political scientist, local intellectuals and politicians in Iranian Azerbaijan believe that the economic growth of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Turkey benefits the region’s people:
"From the perspective of local intellectuals, as I have observed, the economic growth and prosperity of neighboring countries are not seen as a threat but rather as a development that can enhance the well-being of the entire region. Whether it is the Republic of Azerbaijan or the Republic of Turkey, their economic growth will also have short-term benefits for the economy and living standards of northern Iran. Therefore, local intellectuals and central Iranian intellectuals view the issue from very different perspectives. This is why we hear vastly different voices from within Iran regarding the Zangezur Corridor.”
Aktan argues that regional intellectuals and civil society organizations should avoid ethnic nationalism-based polarization and instead support projects that expand economic and cultural cooperation.
“In recent years, our region has witnessed serious conflicts. A conflict that arises in one country does not remain confined to that country; due to cultural, religious, and linguistic ties, it has the potential to spread to others. Therefore, as much as possible, we must distance ourselves from an environment of conflict and the mindset that fuels such conflicts,” he states.
Teoman Aktan further emphasizes that “the Zangezur Corridor should be transformed into a mechanism that contributes to regional peace. Achieving this depends on the will of politicians, their rational approach to the issue, and the ability of civil society organizations, the media, and intellectuals in the region to properly evaluate this opportunity. A shared future should not be built on hatred, conflict, or tensions but rather on the prosperity and security of the region’s people.”
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Teoman Aktan: Zəngəzur dəhlizi kimi layihələr bütün bölgənin rifahına fayda gətirə bilər