U.S.-based think tank: Trump Route signals a century-long American presence in Russia’s traditional sphere of influence

Published: 2026-01-16 13:12

"The U.S. just announced the details of a 99-year infrastructure deal that puts American companies on Iran's doorstep. TRIPP (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity), formerly known as the Zangezur Corridor, is reshaping the balance of power in the South Caucasus... TRIPP is much more than just a road. It's a century-long American presence in Russia's traditional sphere of influence," according to the Turan Research Center (Yorktown Institute, Washington).

"Iran worries that the establishment of TRIPP would essentially put its northern border—and also its best overland connection route to Russia—under American control. That explains all the aggressive rhetoric about ‘red lines’ and talk of ‘creating a graveyard for the mercenaries of Donald Trump’... However, Iran is weaker than ever right now, and that in part explains why Armenia has increasingly moved closer to the U.S.-backed regional order," said Joseph Epstein, director of the Turan Research Center.

By Azerbaijani-Israeli Alliance Global News