In Türkiye's basin, prospective "energy, trade and logistics" corridors.
Yusuf Yasamanlı wrote for Independent Turkish.
Yusuf Yasamanlı Analyst
Thursday, April 30, 2026 11:04
Photo: AA
Türkiye's basin, stretching from the Balkans to the Caucasus, from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, and from North Africa to the Middle East, constitutes a location virtually at the center of the world. Naturally, every development in this central region has various effects on the world.
During the pandemic, the Suez Canal was closed for six days after a ship drifted and ran aground. This negatively impacted global maritime trade and supply chains.
Fast forward to the present day, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the US/Israel-Iran War became the peak of this issue. This is because a significant portion of the world's oil and natural gas needs pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The closure of the strait due to the war led to a dramatic increase in energy prices.
Consequently, the search for new trade and energy corridors began. Work accelerated on redesigning previously existing corridors and exploring alternative routes.
Geopolitical implications of the corridors and routes in question.
These routes, needed for various reasons, do not seem likely to be easy to implement. Because there is significant competition and geopolitical calculation involved.
Therefore, some actors are trying to block these initiatives because they fear being bypassed by the aforementioned corridors; others are doing so because they fear the geopolitical gains that rival actors might achieve. This includes countries that appear to be neighbors and friends. Because, as is well known in the international arena,
"There are no eternal friends or enemies between states; there are only interests and benefits." the principle is that
Despite all these attempts at sabotage, rapidly changing conditions in the region are pushing the countries of the region towards rationality. This is leading them to cooperate instead of making petty calculations. Therefore, this evolving understanding can increase the likelihood of various visions being realized.
At the G20 Leaders Summit held in India from September 7-10, 2023,
alongside the motto "One World, One Family, One Future," the IMEC economic corridor, reminiscent of the historical Spice Route and extending from India to the Middle East and Europe, was announced.
This corridor would start in India, pass through the Gulf States, then Israel (Haifa Port), Southern Cyprus, and Greece, and finally connect to Europe. This route would also be a lifeline for Israel, Southern Cyprus, and Greece after they failed to implement the EastMed project due to political and financial reasons.
This initiative would bypass three key countries in the region (Türkiye, Iran, and Egypt). With the Suez Canal out of service, Egypt was left out, with little recourse.
However, the remnants of the empire, Türkiye and Iran, went their separate ways of designing their own strategies. Türkiye's role was to develop alternatives and set the agenda, while Iran chose to disrupt the existing game.
When we look at Iran's role: The fact that the Gaza War started a month after the announcement of this corridor cannot be considered a coincidence. Of course, the Gaza War has other causes. However, in terms of timing, its occurrence immediately following the announcement of this corridor reveals many things. Indeed, with the Gaza War, this corridor effectively became obsolete.
At the same time, the intervention of Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen against Israeli ships during the Gaza War brought the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait into question.
Turkey, however, presented an alternative route that was more reasonable in terms of cost and distance. Specifically,
the "Development Road Project," which would start from Southeast Asia and connect to the Persian Gulf, passing through the Faw Port in Iraq and the provinces of Basra, Baghdad, Mosul, and Duhok to Ovaköy (Silopi). it offered an alternative with
Some advocate for changes to the route of this road in light of the Syrian Revolution. That is, they argue for connecting the road to Türkiye via Syria. However, to prevent the possibility of bypassing Türkiye in the future through an alternative route to the Mediterranean via Syria, a direct connection to Türkiye via Iraq is seen as the best option.
However,
the "Development Pathway Project" also faced a number of challenges. On the one hand, there was a lack of political will in Iraq. On the other hand, the presence of paramilitary and illegal armed groups in Iraq complicated the task.
Another issue was Iran's approach. Iran displayed the same attitude here as it did towards other projects that bypassed it. Indeed, on January 16, 2024, we woke up to Iran simultaneously striking Erbil, Idlib, and Pakistan. There were various reasons for striking Pakistan and Idlib.
However, when we look for the answer to the question of why Erbil, the matter becomes clear when we delve a little deeper. Although he attributed the attack on Erbil to Mossad Headquarters, he was actually
"Development Road." targeting the
"Development Road Project" Because the place he hit in Erbil was the house of Kurdish businessman Peşrew Dizayi, who was planning to build the
using a build-operate-transfer model. With this attack, Iran killed Peşrew Dizayi, who was preparing to build the "Development Road" using the build-operate-transfer model, and disrupted the project.
Iran had adopted a similar stance regarding the Zangezur Corridor. After the Nagorno-Karabakh War, it vehemently opposed the Zangezur Corridor initiative, which Turkey and Azerbaijan had been working on with a positive approach from Armenia. The military exercises it conducted near the Azerbaijani border and the opening of a consulate in the region where the Zangezur Corridor would pass are the clearest manifestations of this.
However, Iran's track record didn't end there. Iran had previously opposed the Sunni Pipeline project (which would transport Qatari and Saudi Arabian gas to Europe via Syria and Turkey), a project that is still being discussed today. Indeed, it's possible that the 2011 Syrian Civil War was instigated to obstruct this project.
Despite these difficulties, there are also positive developments. On April 28th, Turkish and Armenian officials expressed their willingness to rehabilitate and reactivate the Kars-Gumri railway, which has been out of service since 1993. US Ambassador Tom Barracks also congratulated both sides on this development.
Similarly, the fact that Türkiye designed the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge to be compatible with a railway connection allows it to take its place in China's Middle Corridor (Beijing to London) project.
Another project, while possessing historical value, is
the "Modern Hejaz Railway," adapted for the present day. The reactivation of this railway is of particular importance. The fact that a pro-Turkish government came to power in Syria following the Syrian Revolution plays a significant role in reviving this project. It is anticipated that the commissioning of the Modern Hejaz Railway will greatly contribute to the development of cultural and interpersonal ties, as well as commercial activities, for the people of the region.
It is precisely at this point that the importance of the expression "Roads are civilization" becomes apparent.
*This content has been prepared by freelance journalists or guest writers. The views and statements expressed in this content belong to the author and may not reflect the editorial policy of Independent Turkish.
Türkiye’nin Havzası; Balkanlardan Kafkaslara, Karadeniz’den Akdeniz’e, Kuzey Afrika’dan Ortadoğu’ya uzanan, adeta dünyanın merkezi konumunda bir lokasyonu teşkil etmektedir. Haliyle bu merkezi bölgede yaşanan her gelişmenin, dünyaya çeşitli etkileri olmaktadır. Pandemi döneminde, bir geminin...
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