US-Backed Azerbaijan-Armenia Corridor Expected To Transform Regional Transport, Faces Iranian Opposition

The Trump Route initiative, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, aims to establish a transport corridor across Armenia linking Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan, promising significant investments, economic growth, and regional connectivity. This corridor, managed by the United States for 99 years with exclusive development rights for U.S. companies, is part of a broader peace deal signed by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, which also includes Armenia recognizing Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and renouncing claims to Nagorno-Karabakh. While the deal has been hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough ending decades of conflict, it faces strong opposition from Iran, which has threatened to block the corridor, warning it would become a "graveyard for Trump’s mercenaries" and signaling deep geopolitical tensions in the region. Russia and Iran, previously skeptical, appear to be softening their stance toward the corridor, though Iran’s opposition remains fierce due to concerns about U.S. military presence near its borders. Critics within Armenia, including opposition figures, argue the corridor compromises Armenia’s sovereignty and security, potentially threatening the country's survival. The agreement also calls for dissolving the OSCE Minsk Group and unblocking regional communication routes, with the corridor seen as a key element for peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus.