How Iran's Zangezur concerns could backfire on its own interests

A spat with Moscow has brought Tehran's national security concerns regarding the Zangezur Corridor into the limelight. Under construction by Baku and Ankara, this high-value 40-kilometer (24-mile) transportation project aims to connect Europe with Central Asia and China through Turkey and Azerbaijan — but in between this route, it needs to pass through either Armenia or Iran to be viable.

Unfortunately for Baku, the Zangezur region (after which this route is named) became inaccessible after the then-Soviet Union handed it over to Armenia in the 1920s. As a result, Baku lost access to its autonomous enclave of Nakhchivan located across Armenian land, and connecting to this part of land is now essential for launching the Zangezur Corridor. 

The Zangezur transportation project remained in limbo for a long time due to the conflicting interests of the major stakeholders. But Azerbaijan and Turkey have begun its construction, and it is scheduled to reach completion by the end of 2024. 

Aras River agreement