Analyzing Internal Obstacles Affecting the Completion of International Transit Routes North-South and East-West/New Silk Road (A Look at the Issue of Corridors from the Perspective of International Relations)

Iran’s strategic geopolitical position situates it as a crucial transit hub for international trade, offering one of the most promising corridors for the movement of goods between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Despite this potential, Iran has not fully leveraged this advantage due to numerous internal barriers. This research seeks to systematically identify and analyze the domestic obstacles impeding the development and efficient operation of two major international transit corridors passing through Iran: The North-South Corridor and the East-West Corridor. Although Iran has historically played a significant role in regional transit, its prominence has diminished in recent decades due to a combination of internal inefficiencies and external geopolitical challenges.
Literature Review
Many studies, both inside Iran and internationally, have examined transit and international corridors from various perspectives.
In Persian sources, an article on the “Geoeconomic Impacts of Gwadar and Chabahar Ports Development” (2018) analyzes the strategic competition between these ports and regional trade expansion, focusing on China’s Xinjiang-Gwadar initiative and geopolitical pressures on India. This differs from the current thesis, which emphasizes internal institutional barriers.
The Transit Report in Iran highlights the economic importance of transit, increased government revenue, job creation, and mitigating sanctions but mainly focuses on maritime and road transit, with limited discussion of oil transit through specific ports, differing from this research’s broader approach.
The “Corridors: A Deterrent Force” study explores the North-South corridor’s routes and regional agreements like the Ashgabat Pact, focusing on geopolitical deterrence rather than internal challenges.
Abdollah Sepahi’s analysis of Iran’s rail freight transit evaluates technical and economic potentials and rail branches between China and Europe but pays less attention to institutional obstacles.
A geographic study on Chabahar’s role in the North-South corridor highlights its geopolitical challenges and weak infrastructure but lacks the internal barrier focus of this thesis.
Internationally, studies such as “International Transport Corridor ‘North-South’ in Russia’s Strategy” (2021) concentrate on Russia’s interests and incomplete corridor implementation, differing from the comprehensive domestic focus here. Other works discuss Iran’s foreign investment dependency, India’s regional strategies, and Azerbaijan’s ambitions, contrasting with this thesis’s internal lens.
Russian reports address Eurasian transit corridors and global shipping markets, while a Russian project on future logistics corridors emphasizes geopolitical and geographic aspects over internal national barriers.
Overall, while much research emphasizes geopolitical, economic, and infrastructural factors, few tackle the internal institutional and managerial barriers impeding effective corridor use. This study aims to address this gap through qualitative analysis and grounded theory to offer practical solutions for revitalizing Iran’s transit system.
Methodology
The study employs a qualitative research design based on grounded theory methodology. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with fifteen experts drawn from various sectors related to transit and international trade in Iran, including the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, academic specialists in international relations, and experts from research institutes such as the Iran Transportation Institute and the World Studies Center. The interviews amounted to over 60 hours of recorded and transcribed discussions.
The collected data were analyzed through a three-stage coding process: initial (open) coding, secondary (axial) coding, and selective coding. This systematic approach allowed for the emergence of conceptual clusters and the formulation of a new theoretical framework explaining the internal obstacles to Iran’s transit development. Supplementing the interviews, a thorough literature review provided contextual grounding from both international relations and trade corridor management perspectives.
Results
Analysis revealed four main internal barriers affecting Iran’s transit sector:

Interfering Institutions: Multiple government agencies such as customs, plant protection, and other regulatory bodies operate with overlapping responsibilities, creating bureaucratic hurdles and inefficiencies that delay or obstruct transit operations.
Lack of a Unified Transit Authority: The absence of a single, dedicated managerial entity responsible for overseeing and coordinating all aspects of transit management has led to fragmented policies and inconsistent implementation across regions and corridors.
Sanctions and External Pressures: Although sanctions are an external factor, their influence significantly aggravates internal challenges by limiting access to finance, technology, and international partnerships, and by fostering risk-averse attitudes among domestic agencies.
Lack of Shared National Vision: There is no coherent long-term strategic discourse or unified national approach among the various ministries and institutions involved. This fragmentation prevents effective cooperation and alignment on policies necessary to promote and sustain corridor development.

These findings underscore the complex interplay between internal governance shortcomings and external geopolitical constraints. Despite the significant economic advantages that transit corridors offer—including increased foreign exchange earnings, employment opportunities, and enhanced geopolitical leverage—Iran’s internal systemic problems have led to stagnation and, in some cases, regression of transit activities in recent years.
Discussion
The findings of this study reflect deeper structural and institutional issues that go beyond infrastructure limitations. One of the most critical insights is the absence of strategic coordination among state bodies. Ministries and agencies operate independently, often with conflicting interests, leading to redundant procedures and a lack of alignment on national priorities. This approach has undermined efforts to modernize and integrate Iran’s transit system into global trade routes.
Moreover, the study highlights how international sanctions—though external in origin—have produced internal dysfunctions. Rather than prompting institutional adaptation or reform, sanctions have fostered a risk-averse culture in which institutions avoid innovation or cross-sectoral collaboration, fearing legal or political repercussions. This response has deepened inefficiencies rather than overcome them.
Another key concern is regional competition. Countries like Turkey, Azerbaijan, and even Central Asian states have invested heavily in becoming viable transit routes, often supported by international partnerships and clear long-term strategies. In contrast, Iran’s delay in addressing its internal shortcomings is causing it to fall behind in this increasingly competitive regional landscape.
The theoretical core emerging from the data analysis—the absence of a shared strategic discourse—emphasizes that the root of Iran’s transit underperformance is not only technical or infrastructural but discursive and institutional. Without a common national narrative and long-term vision for transit development, various stakeholders work at cross purposes, leading to inefficiency, waste, and missed opportunities.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The study concludes that addressing internal barriers is critical for Iran to reclaim and strengthen its position as a key transit hub in the region. To this end, several practical recommendations emerge:

Eliminate Redundant Legal and Administrative Procedures
Establish a Single, Unified Transit Authority
Enhance Customs Facilitation through "Green Channel" Systems
Implement Integrated Terminal Management Strategies

Ultimately, this research provides a new, empirically grounded framework for understanding Iran’s transit challenges and offers actionable insights for reform. By promoting institutional coordination, strategic planning, and a unified national vision, Iran can position itself to regain relevance in global trade corridors and unlock the full benefits of its geographic advantage.