Türkiye launches key railway project tied to Zangezur Corridor

IĞDIR

Türkiye on Aug. 22 laid the foundation of a railway line in its eastern region that will form a vital part of the Zangezur Corridor, a strategic route set to reshape connectivity in the South Caucasus.

The 224-kilometer Kars-Iğdır-Aralık-Dilucu Railway Line is designed as a critical link within the corridor, which aims to connect Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave.

“With this project, we are taking one of the most concrete steps toward realizing the Zangezur Corridor. This is not only a milestone for Türkiye but also for the future of the entire South Caucasus and Eurasia,” Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said during a ceremony in the eastern province of Iğdır.

He noted that 2.4 billion euros ($2.79 billion) in foreign financing had already been secured for the project, which will generate significant foreign currency inflows for Türkiye, the minister said. The total investment is estimated at around 110 billion liras, he added.

“This project is a roadmap for international peace and prosperity,” Uraloğlu stressed.

The corridor is expected to strengthen economic cooperation among Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Armenia while fostering regional stability.

It also carries the potential to usher in what officials describe as a “golden era” for global trade, particularly along the Middle Corridor linking Europe and Asia.

A message from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was also read at the ceremony, wishing success for the initiative.

“This line will serve as a bridge and stands as a significant leap in development,” Erdoğan said in his message.

Once completed, the railway is projected to carry 5.5 million passengers and 15 million tons of freight annually. Beyond its logistics capacity, officials highlight its advanced engineering features, including state-of-the-art tunnel and viaduct designs.

The line is scheduled for completion by the end of 2029.

The planned route is expected to enhance economic integration across the South Caucasus and make the East-West axis — from Beijing to London — more efficient, significantly increasing the freight-handling capacity of the Middle Corridor by both rail and road.

The Zangezur Corridor, which traverses Armenia and links mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan on Türkiye’s border, was enshrined in an agreement reached at a trilateral summit hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Aug. 8.

At the summit, Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a joint declaration intended to end decades of hostilities.

As part of the deal, the United States secured development rights over the proposed route, branded the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,” which also runs close to the Iranian border — a move that Tehran has openly rejected.

In a meeting earlier this week, Pashinyan reassured Iran's president that the planned corridor will be under Armenian control.

"Roads passing through Armenia will be under the exclusive jurisdiction of Armenia, and security will be provided by Armenia, not by any third country," Pashinyan said at a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

He added that the corridor would open new economic perspectives between the two countries and may offer a railway path from Iran to the Black Sea coast through Armenia.