INTERNACIONAL
Trump delivered strategic blow to Iran regime with bold Azerbaijan-Armenia pact
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President Donald Trump’s new deal in the South Caucasus has ended a decades-long conflict and handed Washington a rare strategic foothold on Iran’s northern border, experts say.
The agreement, signed earlier this month between Armenia and Azerbaijan, grants the U.S. a 99-year lease over the Zangezur Corridor – a narrow strip of land that will serve as a critical trade and energy route to Europe, bypassing Tehran entirely. Iranian American journalist and dissident Banafsheh Zand told Fox News Digital the move is «a wonderful gain for the U.S.» that also delivers a «slap in the face» to the regime in Tehran.
The corridor has long been at the center of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which displaced tens of thousands and fueled three decades of instability. Trump’s intervention brought both sides to the table and created what observers say is a new trade and security lifeline linking the Caspian Basin to Europe, bypassing Iran entirely.
ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN LEADERS SEEK TO EASE RUSSIAN AND IRANIAN CONCERNS AFTER US-BROKERED PEACE DEAL
A view from Armenia’s southern border reveals the Arax River, with Iran visible across the water. This crossing is a vital lifeline for Armenia, facilitating essential trade and energy flows, especially as tensions rise over the proposed Zangezur Corridor. Iran strongly opposes the corridor, fearing it would sever its direct land access to Armenia and diminish its role as a regional transit hub. The corridor, intended to connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory, has become a flashpoint in regional geopolitics. (Anthony Pizzoferrato/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
Known as the Trump Route for Peace & Prosperity (TRIPP), economically, the agreement secures Washington a direct role in overseeing the flow of Caspian hydrocarbons to Europe. The U.S. will manage rail and road infrastructure, telecom networks and energy pipelines running through the corridor, giving American companies a dominant position in regional transit for oil, gas and goods. By controlling this artery, the U.S. not only generates billions in future trade and investment but also locks Europe into alternative supply routes that reduce reliance on both Russia and Iran.
For allies, the corridor offers cheaper and safer access to Caspian energy. For Tehran, it represents lost revenue, lost leverage, and the end of its ability to act as a mandatory gatekeeper for east-west commerce.
Zand said the deal is not only historic but also a direct win for Washington. «It’s a wonderful gain for the U.S.,» she said. «American contractors will be supervising oil and gas from the Caspian Basin, routed through Zangezur and Turkey to Europe. The profit margins are great, and it all happens under NATO’s blessing.»
Zand said the potential goes even further. «Nobody’s talking about it yet, but I don’t think it’s out of the question to see U.S. bases there,» she said. «If that happens, then checkmate the Khamenei regime and Russia.»
TRUMP MAKES PEACE DEAL BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
US President Donald Trump (C), Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (L) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan display the agreement they signed in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC on August 8, 2025. US President Donald Trump said Friday that Armenia and Azerbaijan were committed to a permanent peace as he hosted a White House summit with the leaders of the two South Caucasus nations, which have fought for decades. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
For Iran, the corridor represents what Zand called a nightmare scenario. Tehran has long used its geography to shape energy and trade flows. By inserting the U.S. into the region, the new deal effectively strips Iran of that leverage. Zand put it in stark terms: «Iran is shaped like a cat, a sitting cat. This corridor literally runs above the cat’s ears. It bypasses Iran, takes money away from the regime, and pushes them out into the cold.»
Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Iran Program, said the corridor exposes how vulnerable Iran has become in the Caucasus. «Both the defeat of Armenia in the most recent war with Azerbaijan, as well as the political problems between Moscow and Yerevan today, have made it harder for the Islamic Republic to really benefit from its traditional economic and political relationship with Armenia,» he told Fox News Digital.
An infographic titled ‘Construction of roads and railways extending to the Zangezur Corridor continues without interruption.’ Once constructed, the corridor will connect Azerbaijan’s western provinces and Nakhchivan via Armenia, further stretching to China, Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus and Turkey. (Yasin Demirci/Anadolu via Getty Images)
«They still do have ties, and the regime is an opportunistic actor as much as it is an ideological one. If there is any way to throw stones at this agreement, or extract concessions on the back end, they will try.»
At the same time, he said the strategic picture is clear. «The Islamic Republic is, in essence, carved out of this route,» he said. «This is not just a critical corridor that could bring stability to the South Caucasus and economic improvement for all countries involved-it also drives home the point that the regime has been such a poor guardian of Iran’s national interest that the Iranian state has been excluded from a major transit route just above its border.»
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addresses the media during voting for parliamentary elections in Tehran, Iran in May 2024. (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The timing, Zand argued, makes the impact even greater. She pointed to Iran’s weakening position since October 7, 2023, and Israel’s recent 12-day war with Tehran. «The regime was self-isolated when it couldn’t come to Hamas’s or Hezbollah’s rescue. Iraq’s Shiites are saying they don’t want to be controlled, Syria is out, and Hezbollah has been degraded. For those of us who’ve watched the regime for decades, we always knew it was a paper tiger. October 7 and the war exposed it to the world.»
The killing of senior IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists has deepened the sense of vulnerability inside Tehran. «They can huff and puff about blowing the house down, but the truth is, there’s a whole lot of fear among the regime’s leaders now,» Zand said. «Khamenei has even gone into hiding again.»
TRUMP BRINGS PEACE TO CAUCASUS: INSIDE THE ARMENIA–AZERBAIJAN DEAL 30 YEARS IN THE MAKING
Ben Taleblu added that Washington is now using these shifts to turn Iran’s weakness into opportunity. «Wherever the regime is weak, that invites pushback, whether militarily or economically,» he said. «The U.S. has followed Israel’s military success against the Islamic Republic with strikes of its own against nuclear facilities, and it is now following Azerbaijan’s battlefield success with a political and economic success of its own. This corridor is another example of America moving in when Tehran is most vulnerable.»
An aerial view of the construction of roads and railways that will pass through the Zangezur Corridor, which will connect the western provinces with Nakhchivan and will also be one of the routes of the Central Corridor extending from China to Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus and Turkey. (Photo by Resul Rehimov/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Zand, whose father was a well-known Iranian journalist and intellectual assassinated by the regime, said she views Trump’s direct involvement as the key to the corridor’s success. «Because it’s Trump, it makes all the difference,» she said. «Trump doesn’t care about not hurting people’s feelings. He responds to how people act. And with this move, he’s sitting over Iran like a vulture-ominous, watching, ready.»
For dissidents like Zand, the corridor represents more than a transport route. «We’ve prayed for this for decades,» she said. «Until the regime is gone, people inside Iran will remain too afraid to rise up again. But this corridor is a boon. It shows the regime is surrounded, and its days are numbered.»
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The deal was reached with NATO backing and has already been compared by some observers to historic peace accords. Zand believes the significance lies not only in ending a 30-year conflict but also in turning the U.S. presence in the Caucasus into a permanent reality. «The regime knows the jig is up.»
iran,donald trump,asia,conflicts,global economy
INTERNACIONAL
El régimen talibán liberó al ciudadano norteamericano Amir Amiri tras negociaciones mediadas por Qatar
El Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos anunció este domingo el retorno a suelo norteamericano del ciudadano estadounidense Amir Amiri, detenido en Afganistán desde diciembre de 2024 y liberado ahora por las autoridades del régimen talibán en un proceso mediado por Qatar, sin que hayan aflorado los motivos del arresto.
“Estados Unidos da la bienvenida al ciudadano estadounidense Amir Amiri, que fue detenido injustamente en Afganistán”, anunció la diplomacia estadounidense en un comunicado en el que Washington expresó su “sincero agradecimiento a Qatar, cuya sólida colaboración e incansables esfuerzos diplomáticos han sido fundamentales para lograr su liberación”.
La cartera que dirige Marco Rubio también atribuyó el regreso de Amiri al “liderazgo y compromiso con el pueblo estadounidense” del presidente Donald Trump aludiendo a la orden ejecutiva firmada a inicios de septiembre bajo la cual la Casa Blanca puede imponer sanciones a aquellos países que realicen detenciones “injustas” contra ciudadanos estadounidenses y designar a aquel que acometiese una como “estado patrocinador de una detención injusta”, en una lista similar a la ya existente con países considerados patrocinadores del terrorismo.
Con todo, y a pesar de este “importante paso adelante”, el Departamento de Estado subrayó que “otros estadounidenses siguen injustamente detenidos en Afganistán”, por lo que esta entrega “es un paso significativo por parte del Gobierno de Kabul para alcanzar ese objetivo”. Estados Unidos no tiene presencia diplomática en Afganistán desde que los talibán recuperasen el poder en agosto de 2022 y Washington cerrase su embajada en el país centroasiático.
Por su parte, el Ministerio de Exteriores qatarí confirmó en un comunicado que Amiri se encuentra de camino al país del golfo pérsico y que “espera que viaje a Estados Unidos próximamente”.
“Qatar mantiene su compromiso de impulsar los esfuerzos de mediación para lograr soluciones pacíficas a conflictos y asuntos internacionales complejos, un enfoque arraigado en la política exterior del Estado, que prioriza el diálogo como opción estratégica para promover la paz y la estabilidad regional y mundial”, destacó la cartera sobre las declaraciones de su ministro, Mohamed bin Abdulaziz bin Salé al Julaifi.
La entrega de Amiri se produjo tras una reunión entre el ministro de Exteriores talibán, Amir Jan Mutaqi, y el enviado especial estadounidense para asuntos de detenidos, Adam Boehler, confirmada por la cadena afgana Tolo News.
El jefe de la diplomacia afgana, que también agradeció la colaboración qatarí, destacó que “la cuestión de los detenidos no se aborda desde una perspectiva política”. Al contrario, ha argumentado, la entrega del ciudadano estadounidense se ha hecho con el objetivo de mostrar “que los problemas pueden resolverse mediante la diplomacia”.
En julio, Rusia se convirtió en el primer país en reconocer formalmente al gobierno talibán en Afganistán desde que tomó el poder en 2021, después de que Moscú eliminara al grupo de su lista de organizaciones prohibidas.
El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Rusia anunció que había recibido las credenciales del recién nombrado embajador de Afganistán, Gul Hassan Hassan. El reconocimiento oficial del gobierno afgano fomentará “una cooperación bilateral productiva”, afirmó el ministerio en un comunicado.
El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Afganistán calificó el hecho como un paso histórico y citó al ministro de Relaciones Exteriores talibán, Amir Khan Muttaqi, quien acogió la decisión como “un buen ejemplo para otros países”.
Los talibanes tomaron el control de Afganistán en agosto de 2021 tras la retirada de las fuerzas estadounidenses y de la OTAN. Desde entonces, han buscado el reconocimiento internacional mientras también imponen su estricta interpretación de la ley islámica.
Aunque ningún país había reconocido formalmente al régimen talibán, el grupo había participado en conversaciones de alto nivel con muchas naciones y establecido algunos lazos diplomáticos con países como China y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos.
Asia / Pacific,Diplomacy / Foreign Policy,Civil Unrest,KABUL
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Zohran Mamdani’s promises to freeze rents and raise taxes on corporations could trigger a New York City business exodus, Michael Toth, a research fellow at the University of Texas at Austin’s Civitas Institute, told Fox News Digital.
Businesses have railed against Mamdani’s progressive platform since his primary win shocked the political establishment, with leaders like Gristedes CEO John Catsimatidis sounding the alarm on Mamdani’s plans to open city-run grocery stores and raise taxes on the 1% if he wins in November.
«We have a far-left socialist mayor who’s trying to take control of the epicenter of global finance,» Toth said in an exclusive interview. «It’s like oil and water.»
Toth, a legal commentator on economic and regulatory reform, explained why Mamdani becoming mayor would trigger a «stampede» of businesses out of New York City in his essay, «Escape From New York.»
SOCIALIST’S NYC MAYORAL WIN SPARKS FIERCE DEBATE OVER FEASIBILITY OF RADICAL POLICY AGENDA
New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference in New York City on Aug. 11, 2025. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The Texas-based researcher argued that Mamdani’s policies «are obviously not what has built New York City into the city that it’s become,» through leading finance, media and communication industries.
NYC OFFICIAL WARNS BUSINESSES WILL FLEE ‘IN DROVES’ IF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATE WINS MAYORAL RACE
«If I’m a New Yorker, and I’m looking for an affordable place to live, it’s not going to be in a city where Zohran Mamdani is running,» Toth said.
Affordability has been central to Mamdani’s campaign. His platform also includes promises like fast, free buses and free childcare, contrasting his «grassroots energy» to his general election opponents, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
«Billionaires – and the politicians who do their bidding – have made New York City unaffordable for too many New Yorkers and now, this campaign is mobilizing tens of thousands of volunteers ready for a new kind of politics,» campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a recent statement announcing more than 230,000 campaign doors.
New York City Democratic mayoral nominee, Zohran Mamdani, spoke to supporters at a canvass launch event in Prospect Park on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
But Toth said that Mamdani is lacking a key understanding of supply and demand.
«He completely shortchanges how hard it is for businesses to stay afloat and to consistently bring products to their customers,» Toth said.
«More supply is better for consumers,» Toth said. «More government mandates is worse for consumers because it drives prices up.»
Toth said New York City’s mayoral election is consequential, not just for its residents, but for Americans, arguing there could be a «continued reorientation of the American capital markets to places like Dallas and Florida.»
If New Yorkers elect Mamdani, «these policies are going to set the city back decades,» Toth said.
Supporters gathered in Prospect Park on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, to relaunch city-wide canvassing efforts ahead of the Nov. 4 mayoral election in New York City. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
Mamdani has maintained that he doesn’t like capitalism, telling CNN’s Erin Burnett in June that he has «many critiques of capitalism.»
When asked about the criticism from business leaders, particularly grocery stores owners, Mamdani told Fox News Digital it will be possible for a «partnership» between the city and grocery store and bodega owners, despite his plan to open five city-run grocery stores if elected mayor this November.
«I am interested in working with each and every New Yorker, and I’ve actually spoken with a number of grocery store owners and made clear to them that I both recognize, and I appreciate the work that they have done. The fact is that they are a critical part of our communities,» Mamdani said.
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Despite Mamdani’s reassurances, real estate moguls have signaled support for Adams and Cuomo recently rallied support among local business leaders as pressure mounts to consolidate support against Mamdani.
The latest Suffolk University CityView poll revealed that 45% of New Yorkers are very or somewhat likely to vote for Mamdani in November’s general election for mayor, with a 20-point lead over Cuomo.
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back.
zohran mamdani,elections,politics,nyc mayoral elections coverage,2025 2026 elections coverage,new york city
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