- Category
- World
Russia and Iran Turn Caspian Sea Into Secret Wartime Supply Route, NYT Reports
- Authors
![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia and Iran are increasingly using the Caspian Sea as a strategic logistics corridor for trade and military-related shipments, including drone components, as both countries seek alternatives to Western-controlled routes and sanctions pressure.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
According to The New York Times on May 10, the inland sea has become a low-visibility transport route connecting Russian ports with Iranian infrastructure amid growing military and economic cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. The report says the corridor has gained importance due to instability around the Strait of Hormuz and wider tensions in the Middle East.
The publication reported that Russia has expanded cargo traffic through Caspian ports in recent years, including shipments of grain and petroleum products, while also investing in port infrastructure in Astrakhan and Makhachkala.
At the same time, both countries are continuing work on the International North-South Transport Corridor, a trade route intended to connect Russia with Iran and Gulf states.
US officials believe Russia has transferred drone-related components to Iran through the Caspian route, helping Tehran replenish parts of its unmanned systems inventory following losses sustained during regional hostilities.
“For two allies consumed by war and under heavier Western sanctions than any other countries, the waterway has become a conduit for overt and covert commerce—shipments that have helped Iran maintain its status as a US adversary despite overwhelming American military power,” The New York Times wrote.
The report also highlighted the limited transparency of maritime activity in the Caspian region. Analysts also point to the limited transparency of shipping activity in the Caspian Sea, where vessels frequently disable tracking systems, while maritime access remains restricted to the five coastal states bordering the region: Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russia had proposed supplying Iran with up to 5,000 fiber-optic drones resistant to electronic warfare systems as part of contingency planning tied to a potential conflict with the US in the Persian Gulf. The reported proposal allegedly included operator training, satellite-guided strike systems, and operational plans targeting US naval forces near Iran’s coast.
Discuss this article:
-9a7b3a98ed5c506e0b77a6663f5727c5.png)
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")