Expert: Turkish-Azerbaijani duo seeks to exclude Armenia from 'Middle Corridor'

A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held in Turkey for the new Kars–Igdir–Aralik–Dilucu railway linking Turkey with Nakhichevan. The Turkish transport minister described the project as a practical first step toward establishing the so-called “Zangezur Corridor”.

According to Iran specialist Vardan Voskanyan, the new 224-kilometer railway line, estimated at $2.7 billion, closely mirrors the existing Yeraskh–Armavir–Gyumri–Kars route, much of which runs through Armenia.

“This clearly shows that through the alternative route, the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance seeks to exclude Armenia from the Turkish ‘Middle Corridor’ project and seize control of the 43-kilometer stretch across Armenia’s Syunik Province. This confirms that there is no real intention of ensuring Armenia’s unblocking,” Voskanyan said in a social media post on Tuesday.

He also shared a map of the new railway published by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency.