Zangezur Corridor: advantages despite detractors’ schemes Analysts highlight strategic benefits

The triumph of Azerbaijani diplomacy in Washington, which has made the Zangezur Corridor project a reality in the near future, continues to captivate the attention of politicians and experts in countries around the world. Naturally, Azerbaijan’s opponents and adversaries are far from calm; some, in an unhealthy frenzy, try to find contradictions in this global project, claiming that it supposedly undermines the interests of certain countries in the region.

For example, the American publication The Hill claims that the corridor has become a serious strategic setback for Iran. According to the outlet, “the deal thus bypasses Iran and secures Washington a lasting foothold in the South Caucasus.” Meanwhile, political scientist and historian Dmitry Seyms, at the forum Armenia-EAEU: Forward Together in Yerevan, expressed the view that the Zangezur Corridor project creates problems for Armenia in its relations with Russia and Iran. “Whether this is in Armenia’s interests is for the Armenian people to decide,” Seyms stated.

How accurate are such statements? And what objectives do those who make them pursue? Foreign experts answer these questions for Caliber.Az.

Thus, Austrian political scientist Rudolf Valeev believes that some experts are simply manipulating concepts, creating a kind of “bogeyman” image around the Zangezur Corridor.

“Such statements do not withstand scrutiny; they are generally provocative in nature and aimed at undermining Baku’s image, instilling fear and concern among its neighbours. According to The Hill, for Iran this supposedly means the loss of an important leverage: ‘for decades, Iran relied on geography to preserve leverage over regional transit. With this corridor, that advantage has been eroded.’ In reality, however, it is clear to everyone that the Islamic Republic will not be sidelined after the launch of the Zangezur Corridor. Routes passing through both Azerbaijan and Iran will remain in demand, as transport activity in the region will increase significantly, which in turn raises interest in alternative transit routes. No transit country will be excluded from this process. In fact, the Zangezur Corridor will give a completely new, large-scale boost to investments from the most developed countries, Western states, into the South Caucasus, and every regional country will be involved in these processes,” Valeev stated.

Meanwhile, Georgian analyst and Candidate of Political Sciences Teimuraz Garishvili noted that some major centres of power were left out of the equation following the Washington agreements on the Zangezur Corridor, and now they will have to negotiate with the beneficiaries of the transit corridor. As a result, they are currently orchestrating a negative PR campaign, stirring political intrigues.

“Moscow has lost its keys to influence; Russian security services will not be involved in the security framework of the Zangezur Corridor, as was implied in the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020. Interestingly, Russia itself created all the conditions that led Baku to lose trust in Moscow as a constructive force aiming to achieve regional stability. Through its clumsy and aggressive policies, Russia has effectively removed itself from the corridor’s implementation, becoming a problem instead. By prioritising attacks and threats against Baku and Yerevan, Moscow has, in essence, signed off on its own exclusion from the project, because normal functioning of a cross-border initiative is impossible if one party has grievances and threatens consequences for the other two participants. Consequently, the Russian side has now intensified its propaganda campaign, trying in every way to discredit the potential of the Zangezur Corridor. Although this is laughable and completely irrelevant. 

Moreover, the presence of the US, Azerbaijan, and Armenia in the corridor zone, alongside Iran, will only promote integration of the countries in the context of developing the Middle Corridor, with the South Caucasus as an important part of it. This dynamic will benefit everyone, and partnership and business will only foster international cooperation among the countries. The point is that Moscow fully realises that it is Iran that benefits from geography, being located within the transit corridor region, while Russia remains far to the north and cannot even act as an indirect moderator. All of this has triggered the scheming of the corridor’s detractors,” Garishvili said.