Azerbaijan and Georgia boost Middle Corridor as debate grows over Armenia’s role

Freight traffic on the vital Middle Corridor trade route has nearly tripled through Georgia in the first half of the year, officials have confirmed, highlighting the growing strategic importance of the South Caucasus as a key artery for commerce between Asia and Europe.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, widely known as the Middle Corridor, was established in 2014 to create a trade path from China to Europe that bypasses Russia. The route traverses Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, making the South Caucasus an indispensable transit hub.

The complex geopolitical implications of the corridor were the focus of a recent segment on A-Newz's program Context, hosted by Nadia Gyane. Speaking on the show, Baku-based political analyst Orkhan Nabiyev emphasized the corridor's transformative potential.

"The Caucasus has gained a big role as an interconnector between regions and continents," Nabiyev said. "It has become an intercontinental node for Eurasia."

A key element in expanding this network is the proposed Zangezur Corridor, a transport link that would connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory. However, the project has been stalled by political disagreements. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has insisted on unilateral access, stating he would not accept reciprocal arrangements for Armenia—a position that Yerevan has resisted.

Nabiyev clarified Azerbaijan's stance for the Context audience. "The primary demand is for Azerbaijanis to have unimpeded access to another part of Azerbaijan, the Nakhchivan exclave, without barriers," he explained. "For international trade, of course, there are established rules, and Armenia will get its benefits."

The analyst stressed that for Armenia, participation offers a significant opportunity to break decades of economic isolation. "It’s a way of making their economy more sustainable," Nabiyev noted, adding that it would allow Armenia to "become a key part of this East-West and North-South trade node."

Adding another layer of complexity is Iran, which has conducted military drills near the border and has voiced opposition to the corridor. Nabiyev argued that Tehran’s position is driven by self-interest, as a successful Zangezur Corridor would diminish Iran’s own importance as a transit route.

"If the Zangezur corridor opens, Iran risks becoming an outsider to this key international trade route," he told Gyane. "Their position isn't against Armenia's interests; it's against Iran's own interests."

As regional powers like Russia and Iran see their influence shift, the path is clearing for South Caucasus nations to forge their own economic destiny. With trade volumes already on a sharp incline, the pressure is mounting on Armenia to decide whether to join the project or risk being left behind.

For the nations involved, the stakes are high, but the potential rewards are even higher. As Nabiyev concluded, the corridor has become an "essential need" for global commerce. "It will boost all regional economies," he said. "Because making trade is always better than making war."

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News Politics Azerbaijan Georgia Armenia