Armenia clarifies stance on Russian border guards amid withdrawal discussions

Armenia has clarified that it did not request Russian border guards to remain on its borders with Türkiye and Iran, stating that this matter is regulated by existing agreements, Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan said in an interview with Armenia's Public Television.

Grigoryan addressed remarks by Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who had claimed that Russian border guards would stay at the Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Iranian borders at Armenia's request, Caliber.Az reports.

"The Russian side asked us whether we want them to withdraw from the territories bordering Türkiye and Iran. We answered that we ask them to withdraw from three directions: from the Zvartnots airport, 17 border checkpoints on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and to shut down two support bases for Russian peacekeepers stationed in Sisian and Goris."

He emphasized that the presence of Russian border guards at the borders with Iran and Türkiye is governed by an agreement, and there has been no discussion about changing this arrangement. "We had no such request," Grigoryan stated regarding the Russian border guards staying at the mentioned borders.

Peskov had previously noted that the withdrawal of Russian military and border guards from certain Armenian regions was agreed upon during the May 8 meeting between the leaders of Russia and Armenia in Moscow.