Is there a Turkish trace in the explosion at the Iranian port?

The North-South project continues to face attacks from multiple directions. In Armenia, this project was openly sabotaged even before the events of 2018, turning it into one of the most corrupt—if not the most corrupt—long-term construction projects in the country. Now, another blow has been struck.

On April 26, several containers exploded in Iran’s largest commercial port, leading to a violent explosion and fire. Reports confirm around 40 fatalities and over 1,200 injuries. The explosion in Bandar Abbas is a blow not only to Tehran. The port is a key hub of the North-South international transport corridor, which is now virtually paralyzed. This route was supposed to provide fast and affordable transportation of goods from Russia to India, bypassing the West. The explosion threatens not only this route but also the viability of the entire initiative. Moreover, the North-South project has been attacked from the other side as well. Clashes have been taking place on the border of India and Pakistan since April 25. The world press is full of headlines suggesting that “a full-scale war will soon break out between the countries.” Additionally, there are reports of Turkey supplying weapons to Pakistan, with six C-130E military transport aircraft from the Turkish Air Force landing in Pakistan.

The Turkish trace is obvious. To further illustrate, recall the helicopter crash involving Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on May 19, 2024, as he returned from Azerbaijan. The Turkish and Turkic trace is clearly visible in the events taking place in the region. These events also affect the implementation of the North-South project.

As for Armenia, while Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is visiting Estonia, laying flowers at the memorial to the victims of communism, the country may lose even the slightest chance of participating in the North-South project due to what happened in Iran. Instead, the country might end up providing Turkey and Azerbaijan with a free and indefinite passage through Armenian Syunik. In other words, Armenia may also be among the victims of the events in Iran.

The North-South project represented Armenia’s most promising chance to participate in regional transport initiatives to its benefit—a logic consistent with the statement from November 9, 2020. However, the project was attacked both politically by Armenia itself and physically by other actors.

Think about it…