What happened
The Caspian Sea has become a crucial trade route between East and West, with the Middle Corridor rail-and-ferry route linking China and Central Asia to Europe while bypassing Russia and Iran. The United States has taken steps to secure the route, including deepening its partnership with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, the two countries that anchor the corridor. China is also investing in the route, building a railway through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to feed its freight into the corridor.
Russia and Iran have found their own uses for the Caspian, with Tehran shifting trade north and Russia using the waters to rearm it. The U.S. Navy is unable to patrol the corridor due to the 2018 Caspian convention, which bars the armed forces of outside powers. Instead, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are arming for the responsibility, with Baku acquiring anti-ship missiles and patrol boats, and the two navies drilling together.
The U.S. has taken important steps to support the corridor, including suspending Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which restricts U.S. aid to Azerbaijan's government. However, two outdated laws, the Jackson-Vanik amendment and Section 907, still stand in the way of securing the route. Congress is being urged to repeal these laws to demonstrate a long-term commitment to the corridor's security and infrastructure.
