Trump-Named Zangezur Deal Raises Alarm in Iran
WANA (Aug 09) – U.S.-brokered Armenia–Azerbaijan deal on Zangezur corridor, named after Trump, raises alarm in Tehran.
The recent agreement between Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, mediated by the United States, recognized the Zangezur Corridor as a key component of the peace deal.
According to reports, Armenia has agreed to grant the United States exclusive rights to manage this corridor for 99 years.
Donald Trump named the route the “Trump Path to Peace and Global Prosperity,” claiming the naming was done in his honor, though he said he did not personally request it.
The corridor, now referred to as the “Trans-Zangezur” route, connects Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan through Armenian territory. However, unlike normal transit routes, it will not be under full Armenian sovereignty, but rather administered under international or regional oversight.
Armenia, Azerbaijan sign peace deal. Social media/ WANA News Agency
Features of the Transnational Corridor
Based on past precedents, a transnational corridor would be exempt from Armenia’s customs and border laws, allowing vehicles and trains to pass freely without stops or inspections. Historical models include the Suwałki Corridor (Poland–Lithuania), the Berlin Corridor (Cold War), and the Lachin Corridor (Karabakh).
The recent peace plan’s implications include creating a continuous link for the Turkic world from Turkey to Central Asia without passing through Iran, weakening Russian and Iranian influence in the Caucasus, and completing a strategic pressure ring on Iran’s northern borders alongside the Middle Corridor and NATO’s presence.
Difference Between the Transnational Model and the Armenia-Sovereignty Model
In the normal arrangement, Armenia retains customs and security control over the route. In the transnational model, the corridor becomes a passage completely outside Yerevan’s control, with only the land remaining under Armenian ownership.
According to expert assessments, this project is part of a broader plan to limit Iran’s role in the region.
Economically, it could reduce Iran’s transit revenues and remove it from key trade routes. Geopolitically, it restricts Iran’s access to neighbors and regional markets.
In security terms, it increases NATO and U.S.-ally presence on Iran’s northern borders. Politically, it aims to rally neighboring countries in support of anti-Iran agendas.
Zangezur Corridor. Social media/ WANA News Agency
Alongside other projects such as energy pipelines bypassing Iran, this agreement reflects U.S. and allied efforts to diminish Iran’s strategic role in the region.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday evening to finalize a peace treaty aimed at ending decades of conflict.
During the meeting, the two countries signed a peace deal. Trump expressed strong confidence in “lasting peace” between the two nations, noting that they had been at war for 35 years but were now “friends.” He said the agreement, signed Friday, commits both sides to permanently end hostilities, open trade, and respect each other’s territorial integrity.
The U.S. president stated that America will lift restrictions on defense cooperation with Azerbaijan, while American companies are expected to invest in major infrastructure projects in both countries.
The deal includes a special transit corridor granting Azerbaijan access to Nakhchivan, with Armenia forming an exclusive partnership with the U.S. for its development, potentially lasting up to 99 years.
Trump hailed the accord as “not a ceasefire, but a peace agreement” and announced bilateral deals with both countries to expand cooperation in energy, technology, and artificial intelligence. He said the agreement would bring economic benefits to all three nations.
Armenia, Azerbaijan sign peace deal. Social media/ WANA News Agency
