Turkish President: Zangezur Corridor to Unlock New Opportunities for Azerbaijan and Region

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated that the Zangezur Corridor will unlock new opportunities for Azerbaijan and the wider region.

The president made these remarks during a conversation with journalists aboard his return flight from Azerbaijan, The Caspian Post reports via local media.

President Erdoğan described the corridor as a strategic component of the larger Middle Corridor initiative-a transcontinental trade route that connects Europe to China via the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

“With the opening of this corridor, Turkish goods will reach Central Asia and China more quickly through the Caspian Sea, while shipments from Europe to China will also pass through Türkiye,” Erdoğan explained. “The Middle Corridor spans several nations, starting from the south and connecting to both Türkiye and Azerbaijan. It also links with a corridor stretching into China, which gives it significant strategic value. We are taking every step in this process with utmost care.”

Erdoğan underscored the Zangezur Corridor’s growing role in global freight logistics, noting that its integration of railway infrastructure is central to its importance.

“This corridor also features a rail system, which is why its role in freight transport is steadily growing-and will continue to grow. The Middle Corridor derives its strength from this integration. Connecting it with the Zangezur route to support both cargo and passenger transport is crucial,” he said.

The Turkish president noted that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is deeply committed to the project, and that Iraq also supports its development. Erdoğan pointed to a planned railway line that will run through Türkiye’s Iğdır province, link with Nakhchivan, and extend further-calling it a major step forward in regional freight transport.