International Quarterly of Foreign Relations

International Quarterly of Foreign Relations

Investigating the impact of transit corridors on the balance of communication and reducing the impact of sanctions; A case study of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Assistant professor of international relations, Ferdowsi university of Mashhad
2 Department of political science and law, University of Bojnourd
3 Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
10.22034/fr.2025.495381.1617
Abstract
The conflicts in the South Caucasus, which ultimately led to restrictions on Armenia via the Zangezur Corridor, coinciding with the imposition of sanctions on Iran, created an opportunity. Iran, as the only country capable of supporting Armenia along their shared border, could mitigate the impact of sanctions by designing corridors through Armenia toward Europe. This approach would maintain the geopolitical status quo in its surrounding region while facilitating new transit routes. Theoretical foundations of international transit emphasize that countries can improve their standing by assuming the role of a transit hub. This research aims to examine the potential of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea Corridor to enhance Iran's geopolitical position as an international transit center. The study addresses the following questions: What is the significance of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea Corridor, and how does it impact the enhancement of Iran's geopolitical standing? The research hypothesis posits that the Persian Gulf-Black Sea Corridor significantly facilitates global trade exchanges and holds the potential to transform Iran into a transit hub within the framework of a multi-neighborhood foreign policy. Employing a time-series methodology, the study analyzes the corridor's impact on trade exchanges. The findings indicate that the Persian Gulf-Black Sea Corridor not only improves Iran's trade conditions and elevates its role in international exchanges—thereby helping to overcome geopolitical constraints and reduce the effects of sanctions—but also provides a viable route for trade between India, the Persian Gulf states, and the Black Sea region. Consequently, beyond enhancing Iran's economic diplomacy and preventing adverse geopolitical shifts in the South Caucasus, the Persian Gulf-Black Sea Corridor possesses significant potential to upgrade Iran's transit role.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 02 December 2025