Iran and Russia Block the American Zangezur Corridor
WANA (Jul 28) – In recent negotiations between Yerevan and Baku over the proposed railway route in southern Armenia, a concerning proposal has emerged—one that would involve the United States gaining partial control over this strategic corridor and even deploying military forces near the Iran-Armenia border. It is a plan that Iran and Russia are determined to prevent from becoming a reality.
In recent weeks, reports surfaced indicating Washington’s growing interest in direct involvement in the so-called “Zangezur Corridor.” According to these reports, during a meeting hosted by the United Arab Emirates between high-level delegations from Armenia and Azerbaijan, a new proposal was put forward to resolve the ongoing dispute over regional transit routes. The plan calls for a stretch of land in Armenia—running parallel to the Iranian border and connecting mainland Azerbaijan to the Nakhchivan exclave—to be leased for 100 years to an “American private military company.”
Under this plan, the company would act as a third-party operator with full control over the corridor, guaranteeing both the sovereignty of Yerevan and the transit demands of Baku. The use of a private military company is seen as a tactic to deflect sensitivity toward direct U.S. military presence in the South Caucasus.
the U.S. Proposal to Control the Zangezur Corridor – WANA News Agency
This development comes as peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan has long stalled over the issue of reopening this route in Armenia’s Syunik Province. Yerevan had expressed conditional support for reopening the corridor under its full sovereignty as part of a proposed “Crossroads of Peace” initiative. In contrast, Azerbaijan and Turkey have insisted on a so-called “Zangezur Corridor” under international—or even foreign—control, effectively bypassing Armenian sovereignty.
Interestingly, the original Zangezur plan would have placed the corridor under Russian supervision, thereby securing Moscow’s tacit approval. But with Donald Trump returning to the U.S. presidency, Russia deeply engaged in Ukraine, and tensions escalating between Iran and Israel, Iran and Russia’s adversaries are now aggressively pushing for American entry into the South Caucasus. Their aim: satisfy both the pro-Western government in Yerevan and the regime in Baku, while also placing American forces on Iran’s northern border and monopolizing Iran’s western trade route to Russia via Azerbaijan.
This would, in one move, weaken Russia’s influence in the South Caucasus and entangle Iran in direct confrontation with U.S. forces—an outcome Tehran and Moscow will not allow.
In line with this, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated in a press briefing last Thursday: “The Americans claim they have a unique solution, but it’s nothing more than deception.”
Zangezur and the Attempt to Encircle Iran
WANA (Jul 21) – The idea of establishing the Zangezur Corridor is not new. It dates back even to the Ottoman Caliphate, which sought a strategic foothold in the South Caucasus and frequently clashed with both Russia and Britain over influence in the region. Later, during Atatürk’s era, Turkey made further attempts in this direction, […]
She urged both Armenia and Azerbaijan to avoid taking Western messages at face value, stressing that there is no doubt the West is pursuing a blatantly opportunistic agenda under the guise of peace proposals.
Zakharova warned that the West is attempting to strip the normalization process between Yerevan and Baku of its regional character and reframe it under external geopolitical control.
In addition to Iran and Russia, China is also alarmed. Beijing had viewed the potential southern Armenia railway as a vital part of its “Middle Corridor” to transport goods to Europe. But under the proposed American plan, a key land route for Chinese exports could fall under U.S. influence—threatening China’s long-term strategic interests.
Taken together, the American proposal is likely to solidify Russia’s alignment with Iran, intensify Iran’s sensitivity to foreign presence in its northern borderlands, and even prompt China to take active measures against the plan. While Iran had already expressed willingness to take military action to prevent Azerbaijani and Turkish control over the Armenian border, the entry of U.S. interests now raises the stakes significantly. With Russia and China possibly joining Iran in opposition, the level of preparedness and resolve may become even stronger.
Just as the architects of this plan miscalculated Iran’s resolve in standing up to threats from U.S. and Israeli forces, they are now underestimating Iran’s determination to protect its borders and strategic corridors. Iran—and Russia—will not allow NATO or the United States to gain a foothold in the South Caucasus under the cover of private companies or regional agreements.
