ABSTRACT
Iran’s privileged geography as the focal point in connecting Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East has given Tehran a unique role in international corridors. In recent years, China’s Belt-Road Initiative megaproject, which connects the East to the West, and the International North−South Transport Corridor, of which the latter includes “Chabahar−Central Asia railway”, have attracted the attention of India, China, and Russia. Iran’s membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, of which all three countries, Russia, India, and China, are the principal members, is essential for Iran’s entry into the corridors mentioned above. While some analysts consider these projects strategic competitors, this article believes these corridors can play a complementary role, at least within the boundary of Iran, and strengthen the cooperation of the Eurasian bloc. Owing to the war between Russia and Ukraine, the limitation of Russia’s access to Europe has magnified the importance of these passageways, rendering them crucial for Russia since February 2022. With descriptive analytics methodology, this chapter argues that the actualisation of Iran’s potential in these megaprojects will result in their synergy and significant economic and geopolitical yields for Iran and other stakeholders.
