The Zangezur Corridor is a strategically important passage between Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. This corridor is a 43 km long passage starting from the Nakhchivan border crossing and continuing to Azerbaijan. There are 4 major cities on it and a total of 392 thousand people live here. This corridor will connect the main territory of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, while at the same time providing Nakhchivan access to the outside world. Therefore, the Zangezur Corridor is very important for Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan.
The Zangezur Corridor came to the agenda as part of the agreement signed on 10 November 2020, which envisaged a ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This agreement aimed to end the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the Karabakh region and Article 9 of the agreement envisaged the opening of the “Zangezur Corridor”, which would be used to ensure the land connection of Nakhchivan with Azerbaijan.
Nakhchivan is an autonomous region geographically isolated from the territory of Azerbaijan and is located between Turkey and Iran. The Zangezur Corridor is of vital importance for Nakhchivan to maintain its economic, trade and logistics links with the outside world. The Zangezur Corridor creates opportunities for economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan. This corridor will be used to support the economic development of Nakhchivan and facilitate Azerbaijan’s trade with Nakhchivan. The operationalisation of this corridor will play an important role in promoting Nakhchivan’s economic and political independence. With the activation of the Zangezur Corridor, energy, transport and trade projects will be developed in accordance with the needs of Nakhchivan.
The Zangezur Corridor is a symbol of peaceful relations and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan. This corridor will be used as an important tool to promote regional stability and prevent conflicts and will open the door to regional cooperation projects to support the economic development and sustainability of Nakhchivan. The Zangezur Corridor will serve as the main route for transporting energy and trade to Nakhchivan. The transport of oil, natural gas and other energy resources to Nakhchivan and the entry and exit of trade goods to and from Nakhchivan will take place through this corridor. The Zangezur Corridor promotes Azerbaijan’s cross-border cooperation with other countries. Thanks to this corridor, Azerbaijan will improve its relations with Nakhchivan and enable its participation in regional and international projects. In particular, energy transport and transport projects will provide opportunities for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan and between these regions and neighbouring countries.
The security of the Zangezur Corridor will be provided by the Border Guard Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. Russia’s role in the Zangezur Corridor is very important considering the political and energy dynamics in the region. The Zangezur Corridor is located close to the southern borders of Russia. Therefore, this region is of interest for Russia’s regional and security policies.
Azerbaijan is a country rich in energy resources and has signed many energy export and energy transit agreements with Russia. The Zangezur Corridor could be used to transport Azerbaijan’s energy resources to Nakhchivan, which could create a competitive position with Russia in terms of energy exports in the future. The opening and use of the Zangezur Corridor will affect the balance between the regional powers. Russia closely monitors the political and economic events in the region and the regional balance will change with the opening of this corridor.Zengezur Koridoru’nun açılması ve kullanımı, bölgesel güçler arasındaki dengeyi etkileyecektir.
The Zangezur Corridor will also isolate Armenia from Nakhchivan. This situation will support Nakhchivan’s integration with Azerbaijan, complicate relations with Armenia and affect Russia’s relations with Armenia. The use of the Zangezur Corridor will affect the diplomacy between Russia and Azerbaijan and will lead Russia to play a mediating or supporting role. Since this corridor will enable the development of regional transport and trade, Russia will be able to easily integrate its trade and transport with the Caucasus region by using the corridor. The opening and utilisation of the Zangezur Corridor is a complex issue that will affect regional dynamics, and Russia’s policy and influence in this regard is noteworthy.
In conclusion, the Zangezur Corridor represents a strategic link between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan and its use will create opportunities for cooperation in various fields such as energy transport, trade and transport projects. This corridor is expected to play an important role in international relations and regional cooperation projects.
