Zangezur Corridor carries potential to transform energy routes

The Zangezur Corridor, as a strategic link in Caspian-Europe energy and trade flows, carries potential to transform regional supply routes and also reinforce Türkiye’s role as a key energy hub, experts said on Tuesday.

In this sense, the 244-kilometer (151.62-mile) Kars-Iğdir-Aralık-Dilucu Railway Line, whose foundation was laid last month in southeastern Türkiye, is seen as the first step toward realizing the corridor.

The corridor connecting Central Asia, the Caspian Region, Azerbaijan and Armenia to Türkiye also stands out as an important part of the Middle Corridor.

Strategic value for Türkiye, Europe

Experts note that the corridor could offer Europe fresh alternatives for Caspian oil, gas, and electricity, easing dependence on Russian supplies. By enabling access to diversified resources, it could shift the balance of regional energy security.

Oktay Tanrısever, professor of international relations at Middle East Technical University (METU), said the corridor provides the shortest path for Caspian energy to reach Türkiye and European markets.

“The route crosses fewer countries and is more distant from Russia, giving it added geopolitical importance,” he told Anadolu Agency (AA).

“It could be used for oil, gas or electricity transmission, but security concerns must be addressed first,” he asserted.

Tanrısever noted that investments could follow developments in Armenia’s domestic politics and greater clarity in Russia’s policies toward the two countries, referring to Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“If more oil, gas and electricity can flow from the Caspian region to Türkiye via the Zangezur Corridor, it will strengthen Türkiye’s goal of becoming a key regional energy hub for European markets. Both the volume of incoming resources and their country of origin will reinforce this goal,” he added.

The EU and U.S. support the project as a strategic energy route independent of Russia, which, he said, could reduce Moscow’s regional influence and bolster Europe’s energy security.

According to Tanrisever, concrete contributions to energy flows should be viewed in the medium and long term.

“Reaching political and diplomatic consensus, finalizing agreements, and completing the necessary infrastructure could make the corridor operational in at least three to five years,” he said.

Complementing energy corridors

Levent Aydın, professor of economics at the Social Sciences University of Ankara, pointed out that major pipelines such as the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), TurkStream, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, and Iran’s gas lines already cross Türkiye, making it a primary east-west energy transit route.

He said the Zangezur Corridor, primarily a transport and logistics link, also has the potential to complement Caspian-to-Europe energy corridors via Türkiye.

“Once opened, it will not only provide direct road and rail links to Türkiye but also create new routes for pipelines, electricity transmission and fiber optic infrastructure,” he said.

While the corridor is not currently an “energy line,” Aydın stressed its long-term potential.

“In the future, it could be used for new gas links parallel to TANAP, oil pipelines, electricity interconnections between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, or digital communication networks,” he suggested.

“Perhaps Turkmen gas crossing the Caspian could also flow through this route. Since creating alternative routes is one of the most critical elements of energy security, Zangezur will be a strategic gain for Türkiye and the region,” he added.

U.S., EU, China perspectives

Moreover, Aydın underlined that for the U.S., the Zangezur Corridor is not only about energy but also about limiting the regional influence of Russia and Iran.

Washington views it as an alternative route that could reduce Moscow’s dominance over energy and curb Tehran’s logistical advantage, he opined.

For the EU, especially after the Russia-Ukraine war, the main goal has been to reduce and eventually eliminate dependence on Russian energy, he also said.

Although the EU’s 2050 carbon-neutral strategy envisions phasing out fossil fuels, in the short term, supply security is a priority; he said that “every new route from the Caspian carries strategic value.”

“If Zangezur operates under a permanent peace environment, EU support is highly likely.”

He also noted that the timeline for the corridor depends not only on technical but also on political processes.

Geopolitical developments, normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, and regional investment decisions are expected to shape the process.

“In the medium term, within 5-10 years, electricity transmission lines and natural gas links could be realized, depending on feasibility. In the short term, road and rail trade could begin, serving as a confidence-building step toward energy infrastructure,” Aydın said.

Aydın also highlighted China’s growing presence in the region, noting that “Beijing is heavily investing in South Caucasus and Central Asian corridors under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For China, Zangezur is the new front line of logistics wars.”

“While the U.S. and EU view it as an alternative energy corridor to Russia, for China, it is more about maintaining dominance in trade and transport networks. Thus, Zangezur is not only about energy but is also becoming a key part of the emerging ‘corridor wars,'” he concluded.