Türkiye is set to launch construction of the Kars-Iğdır-Aralık-Dilucu Railway on Friday, a 224-kilometer line that will serve as a vital segment of the Zangezur Corridor, the ambitious trade route connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced the groundbreaking, stressing both the economic and geostrategic significance of the project. Backed by €2.4 billion ($2.79 billion) in external financing secured through the Treasury and Finance Ministry, the railway is designed to carry 5.5 million passengers and 15 million tons of freight annually. It will feature five tunnels to navigate the rugged terrain of eastern Türkiye.

“This project will unlock the production potential of eastern and southeastern Anatolia, enabling faster access to international markets while boosting Mediterranean tourism,” Uraloğlu said. He added that the new line would bolster Türkiye’s logistical capacity, secure its role as a trade hub, and establish uninterrupted railway connectivity with Azerbaijan.

The project is also expected to enhance the Trans-Caspian and North-South transport corridors, reinforcing Türkiye’s strategic position as a central hub in Eurasia’s supply and logistics networks.

The Zangezur Corridor was formalized in a trilateral agreement on August 8, 2025, hosted in Washington by U.S. President Donald Trump and signed by Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Branded the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,” the corridor aims to ease decades of hostility in the South Caucasus and foster greater economic integration across the region.

By linking the East-West trade axis from Beijing to London, the corridor is expected to significantly boost freight capacity along the Middle Corridor, a key transport artery connecting Asia to Europe.

The route will traverse Armenia near the Iranian border — a point of concern for Tehran. However, Prime Minister Pashinyan reassured Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian earlier this week that the corridor will remain under Armenian control, with security provided solely by Armenia. Pashinyan also highlighted potential economic dividends, including a prospective railway connection linking Iran to the Black Sea via Armenia.

Once completed, the Kars-Iğdır-Aralık-Dilucu Railway will not only transform Türkiye’s regional trade dynamics but also strengthen its pivotal role in global supply chains, while encouraging greater cooperation across the South Caucasus. (ILKHA)