"Prospects of Peace Between Azerbaijan and Armenia Grow Stronger"

Azerbaijani officials have dismissed claims of a new conflict with Armenia, stating that a lasting peace deal between the two countries could be signed soon. Azerbaijan's foreign minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, expressed optimism about the conclusion of a peace treaty following Azerbaijan's recent control of Nagorno-Karabakh. The proposed agreement would end three decades of conflict and speculation that Azerbaijan might use military force to secure the Zangezur Corridor has been denied. Azerbaijan's top foreign policy aide, Hikmet Hajiyev, stated that the project has lost its attractiveness and that they can pursue transport linkages with Iran instead. The progress on the peace treaty could potentially revive the transport link, but without extraterritorial concessions. The EU's role as a mediator in the conflict is currently uncertain, with talks being postponed.