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- Iraq Development Road Project and Corridor Politics
Iraq Development Road Project and Corridor Politics
Authors : Farid Damirov
Pages : 224-234
Doi:10.5281/zenodo.18096716
View : 59 | Download : 210
Publication Date : 2025-12-26
Article Type : Review Paper
Abstract :This article examines the Iraq Development Road Project (IDRP) through the theoretical lens of Corridor Geopolitics, arguing that the initiative reflects a pivotal strategic shift in Iraq’s regional role—from a passive buffer state to an active transit hub. Although the IDRP primarily functions as a logistics corridor connecting the Grand Faw Port with Turkish and European markets, it simultaneously operates as a geopolitical instrument for asserting national sovereignty and projecting regional influence. Positioned as a counter-response to the exclusionary logic of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), the IDRP reflects Iraq’s engagement in a broader \\\"corridor competition\\\" transforming the Middle East. By advancing a new axis of connectivity through cooperation with Turkey and financial backing from Gulf states, the project directly challenges Iran’s dominance over Iraq’s transit routes. The study further highlights how Iraq’s domestic political dynamics both shape and are shaped by the strategic ambitions embedded in the project.Keywords : Irak Kalkınma Yolu, Koridor Jeopolitiği, Bölgesel Bağlantısallık, Yumuşak Dengeleme, Geçiş Devleti
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