In a surprising twist to one of the South Caucasus’ most stubborn territorial and transit disputes, the United States has stepped in with a bold offer: to lease the contested Zangezur Corridor for a century.
The idea? To break the deadlock between Armenia and Azerbaijan, who have been stuck in a decade-long argument over this tiny but vital strip of land.
A Decade-Long Deadlock Over 32 Kilometers
Speaking to reporters, US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack put it bluntly:
“They’ve been arguing over a 32-kilometer road for ten years… Then America comes in and says: ‘Fine, we’ll take the 32 kilometers for a hundred years, and you can split it between yourselves.’”
The plan reportedly involves an American private company stepping in as a neutral operator—essentially managing the corridor to keep trade and travel flowing without political interference.
According to Middle East Eye, the US is backing the plan as a way to defuse regional tensions.
Turkey Helped Plant the Idea
While Washington is now front and center, the idea didn’t start there.
Turkey is believed to have first floated the concept, with the US picking it up and offering its own spin. But things didn’t go smoothly.
Armenia insisted that the American company managing the corridor should also oversee a stretch that passes through the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic—territory that Azerbaijan considers fully under its own control.
Unsurprisingly, Baku rejected the idea, calling it an unacceptable intrusion.
What’s the Zangezur Corridor and Why Does It Matter?
At the heart of the conflict is a slender 32-kilometer (or roughly 40 km) corridor that would run through Armenia’s Syunik Province.
If completed, it would connect mainland Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan—its landlocked exclave—via road and rail.
But there’s more at stake than just geography.
The corridor runs close to Iran and would serve as a powerful new transit route for trade and goods flowing through the region.
It could significantly shift logistics in the South Caucasus, which has long been fragmented due to closed borders and war-related hostilities.
Armenia and Azerbaijan See It Very Differently
Azerbaijan sees the Zangezur Corridor as essential to reconnecting its western territories with Nakhchivan, and ultimately with Turkey.
Armenia, however, views the whole concept as a threat to its sovereignty.
Instead, Yerevan is pushing its own idea—the “Crossroads of Peace”—which it says will be more inclusive and less controversial.
Meanwhile, Baku remains skeptical that Armenia can ensure uninterrupted transit, especially without international guarantees.
Erdoğan Backs the Corridor, But Has a Backup Plan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is one of the most vocal supporters of the Zangezur Corridor, calling it both a strategic and economic game-changer.
But he’s not putting all his eggs in one basket.
Erdoğan has already warned that if Armenia drags its feet, an alternate route—the “Aras Corridor”—will be developed instead.
That route, running 107 kilometers through Iran, is already under construction with help from Iranian contractors.
Why This All Matters Now
Since the fall of the Soviet Union and the First Karabakh War in the early 1990s, land access between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan has only been possible via Iran or air routes.
Reopening a direct corridor would restore vital links for the region’s economy, trade, and diplomacy.
That’s why Washington’s offer to step in as a long-term, neutral broker could be a game-changer—if both sides are willing to play ball.
Will the US Proposal Actually Work?
It’s still early days, and there’s no sign yet that either Armenia or Azerbaijan is ready to sign off on the idea.
The political sensitivities are huge, and questions remain about how much control either side would be willing to relinquish—even to a neutral third party like the US.
Still, if accepted, the plan would mark one of the most significant American interventions in South Caucasus geopolitics to date—and could redraw the region’s economic and diplomatic map.