Anticipating that US attention could be focused on Iran and the Persian Gulf for a long time, Armenia is seeking to attract additional investors in TRIPP, the planned trade corridor that Yerevan foresees as a cornerstone of its economic future, Eurasianet reports.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan have indicated in recent days that the bilateral agreement between the US and Armenia on building TRIPP, or the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, is moving forward. But both leaders now indicate that Armenia wants to attract other investors to be involved in the corridor’s construction and operations.

The project, the centerpiece of the provisional Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal signed last August in Washington, would connect Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave via a 42-kilometer land bridge across Armenia’s Syunik province. It is envisioned as a key node in the emerging Middle Corridor trade network connecting Central Asia to European markets.

Armenia is considering the possibility of involving the countries of the Middle East and Kazakhstan in this project. In particular, Astana’s participation in the development of transport and infrastructure ties, as well as the use of Armenian transit routes in trade chains, is being discussed.

US officials have sought to reassure Yerevan that the ongoing turmoil in the Persian Gulf, despite an ostensible ceasefire between the United States and Iran, will not distract Washington from implementing TRIPP.

TRIPP “remains a top priority for the United States, with the potential to unleash peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus region and beyond. The Trump Administration remains committed to making TRIPP a reality,” a US State Department representative said.