Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said Yerevan does not rule out taking its dispute with Russia over the management of the South Caucasus Railway to an international court if the issue cannot be resolved through negotiations. At the same time, he stressed that the Armenian authorities hope to settle the matter through talks.

"We want to resolve the issue amicably. In any case, it will be resolved. If disagreements arise, we will discuss them in court later," Pashinyan said.

According to the prime minister, Armenia's railway infrastructure is the property of the Armenian state, and it is therefore up to the republic to determine how it should be managed. He stressed that Yerevan is not seeking a confrontation with Moscow and has no intention of unilaterally terminating the concession agreement.

The South Caucasus Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Russian Railways (RZD), which has operated Armenia's railway network under a concession agreement since 2008. The agreement was signed for 30 years, with an option to extend it for a further 10 years by mutual consent.

In recent months, the Armenian authorities have increasingly criticised the current railway management model. According to Pashinyan, the Russian concession limits the country's transport opportunities and creates "competitive losses" for Yerevan, as some foreign partners remain cautious about projects operated by a Russian company.