Iran suspends road project with Syria

Noura Bendari

The coronavirus pandemic has started to have its toll on Iranian presence in a number of Middle Eastern countries.

Iran has started pulling out of Syria in a gradual manner. Iran also reportedly has frozen the Tehran Road project, which would have connected the Iranian capital with Syria through Iraq.

These developments attest to the deep economic crisis Iran suffers at present. This crisis will apparently shatter the regional ambitions of Iran’s mullahs.

Iran has suspended work on the Tehran Road project, according to some Gulf newspapers on May 21. However, it did not provide any reasons for the suspension of the project.

Some people attribute this suspension to the coronavirus outbreak in Iranian cities and the failure of Iranian authorities in containing it.

The virus outbreak has negatively affected Iran’s industrial sector and consequently the country’s financial conditions. Together with the U.S. economic sanctions, these deteriorating financial conditions are having a heavy toll on the Iranian economy, in general.

The project was unveiled in 2019, during a visit to Iraqi capital Baghdad by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Rouhani signed a number of agreements in the Iraqi capital, including an agreement on the construction of a railroad between Iraq and Iran and the demarcation of land borders between the two countries.

Rouhani also signed an agreement on the construction of a road that connects Iran with Syria through Iraq.

The project reflects Iran’s desire to have a direct link to the Mediterranean Sea through Banias Port in Syria. It also demonstrates Iran’s desire to be directly connected with Lebanon. However, the U.S. considers the road an attempt by Iran to get around the economic sanctions.

Iran has had to suspend the project because of pressures from the U.S., some analysts said.

The U.S. worked hard to sabotage the project ever since Iran unveiled it. Washington is just afraid that Iran will use the road in supplying its militias in Syria with arms.