Baku — August 27, 2025
A new transport corridor linking the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea via Azerbaijan is expected to transform cargo flows across the South Caucasus, according to Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev.
“The climate and terrain will allow this route to function year-round,” Mustafayev said, outlining the path: Persian Gulf – Nakhchivan – Jabrayil – Fuzuli – Aghdam – Yevlakh – Black Sea.
Key to the project are new bridges across the Araz River. The Agbend–Kelale and Ordubad–Siyahrud crossings will not only connect Eastern Zangezur with Nakhchivan, but also open up large-scale opportunities for international freight transport.
Mustafayev also highlighted progress on the 224-kilometer Kars–Igdir–Aralik–Dilucu railway, which will link Turkey with Nakhchivan. Designed to handle 15 million tons of cargo annually, the line will secure direct access to European markets.
“Azerbaijan has become a hub for managing and transshipping major cargo flows,” Mustafayev stressed, citing the country’s position at the intersection of East–West and North–South transport corridors. The expansion of road and rail links, he added, will not only redefine the logistics map of the South Caucasus but also reshape the region’s energy network, enhancing Azerbaijan’s role as a key energy transit state to Europe and beyond.
Framing the projects in political terms, the deputy premier called the opening of new communications “a historic opportunity for securing peace in the region.” Azerbaijan, he underlined, “remains a supporter of stability and cooperation.”
