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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Trump delivered strategic blow to Iran regime with bold Azerbaijan-Armenia pact |
| 2025-08-23 |
| [FoxNews] Trump delivered strategic blow to Iran regime with bold Azerbaijan-Armenia pact President Donald Trump’s new deal in the South Caucasus has ended a decades-long conflict and handed Washington a rare strategic foothold on Iran’s northern border, experts say. The agreement, signed earlier this month between Armenia and Azerbaijan, grants the U.S. a 99-year lease over the Zangezur Corridor - a narrow strip of land that will serve as a critical trade and energy route to Europe, bypassing Tehran entirely. Iranian American journalist and dissident Banafsheh Zand told Fox News Digital the move is "a wonderful gain for the U.S." that also delivers a "slap in the face" to the regime in Tehran. The corridor has long been at the center of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which displaced tens of thousands and fueled three decades of instability. Trump’s intervention brought both sides to the table and created what observers say is a new trade and security lifeline linking the Caspian Basin to Europe, bypassing Iran entirely. Known as the Trump Route for Peace & Prosperity (TRIPP), economically, the agreement secures Washington a direct role in overseeing the flow of Caspian hydrocarbons to Europe. The U.S. will manage rail and road infrastructure, telecom networks and energy pipelines running through the corridor, giving American companies a dominant position in regional transit for oil, gas and goods. By controlling this artery, the U.S. not only generates billions in future trade and investment but also locks Europe into alternative supply routes that reduce reliance on both Russia and Iran. For allies, the corridor offers cheaper and safer access to Caspian energy. For Tehran, it represents lost revenue, lost leverage, and the end of its ability to act as a mandatory gatekeeper for east-west commerce. Zand said the deal is not only historic but also a direct win for Washington. "It’s a wonderful gain for the U.S.," she said. "American contractors will be supervising oil and gas from the Caspian Basin, routed through Zangezur and Turkey to Europe. The profit margins are great, and it all happens under NATO’s blessing." Zand said the potential goes even further. "Nobody’s talking about it yet, but I don’t think it’s out of the question to see U.S. bases there," she said. "If that happens, then checkmate the Khamenei regime and Russia." Related: Azerbaijan: 2025-08-21 Syria, Israel hold rare talks as Damascus struggles to maintain grip over Druze-majority south Azerbaijan: 2025-08-20 Syria’s HTS gov’t issues rare confirmation of talks with Israel as US pushes to stabilize ties Azerbaijan: 2025-08-19 Schools in Pakistan promote hostility toward Jews and Israel, report finds Related: Armenia: 2025-08-19 Syria is on fire again. Behind the raging elements, evil will is visible Armenia: 2025-08-10 Lebanese Parliament member from Hezbollah, Mohammed Raad: ''Handing over our weapons and disarming is suicide, and we are not interested in committing suicide.'' Armenia: 2025-08-09 Azerbaijan and Armenia sign peace agreement at White House |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #1 This was so good I wanted to post it again! |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2025-08-23 00:36 |