The US will be able to restrict transportation via the “Trump Route” (TRIPP) project’s section in Armenia in the future if the US authorities impose appropriate sanctions, stated Aleksey Shevtsov, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council,, TASS reports.

According to him, the TRIPP agreement provides for the transfer of significant powers to the American side within the framework of a joint venture that will participate in the implementation of the project.

“It has already been clearly established that all disputes related to the implementation of the agreement on the ‘Trump Route’ are resolved in accordance with the legislation of the US and the state of New York, and the contractor company is given exclusive rights to use the land.

This implies that the Americans will be able to ‘filter’—roughly speaking—cargo passing through the section of the route under their control in the future, refuse to provide their services in one case or another,” Shevtsov said. He argued that such a restriction could be formulated as a punitive ban on American companies, including the route operator, from cooperating with certain economic entities.

Shevtsov drew attention also to the structure of the future company. He noted that the American side would own its 74 percent, and the Armenian side would own 26 percent, with the initial term of the rights being granted for 49 years.

“That is, Yerevan definitely will not have a controlling stake, it is possible that there will be a blocking one, but until the company’s charter is approved, nothing can be said for sure,” he noted. In this regard, the deputy secretary of the Russian Security Council stated that American overseeing of the route in Armenia is actually creating a “state within a state.”

At the same time, Shevtsov stated that the restoration of transport communications in the South Caucasus could itself contribute to the development of the region. In particular, he stressed the importance of railway communication between Armenia and Iran and stated that Russia supports the restoration of regional transport infrastructure.

In his opinion, the simplest way to restore railway communication between Armenia and Iran would be to restore transit through the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan. For this, Shevtsov noted, a political decision and a guaranteed amount of cargo transportation are necessary, which would ensure the profitability of the railway.