‍Central Asia and The Caucasus Journal

Abstract The emergence of small and medium-sized ports as vital nodes connecting remote areas in international transport is a dominant issue in global transport, given the importance of maritime and rail corridors. In recent years, the two small ports of Aktau and Kuryk have in recent years, through a clear and well-planned program, become one of the maritime transport nodes in several international corridors in the Caspian Sea, including the important Trans-Caspian Corridor and the Trasika Corridor. In addition, they play a major and very important role in the Chinese Belt and Road megaproject, and if the North-South Corridor is successful, they will be one of the key points of this project. ،This has been done through a clear and well-documented program. By examining this issue, this research seeks to investigate and prove the importance of small ports in the world, and especially in the Caspian Sea, for connecting important international corridors and ultimately their enormous impact on the regional and international economy. The research method is a combination of descriptive library and field research and uses the theories of developmental government and geoeconomics.

Abstract The purpose of this article is to analyze the impacts of the implementation of the (CPEC) on Iran's geo-economic position. CPEC, one of the major regional infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, includes an extensive network in three main areas of infrastructure, energy, and economic development. Geographically, CPEC is not just a bilateral project that will strengthen relations between China and Pakistan, promote economic development in Pakistan, and enhance China's regional influence in South Asia, but it also has significant regional dimensions and impacts. In terms of subject matter, this project is not necessarily economic and has political, social, and even security dimensions. In this text, CPEC will have impacts on Iran's regional geo-economic position, which will be particularly noticeable in the two areas of energy (gas exports) and infrastructure (transit). This article uses an explanatory method and within the conceptual framework of the new geo-economics attempts to investigate these effects. The findings of the article show that although the impact of CPEC on Iran's geo-economic position is a combination of opportunities and challenges, and from the perspective of opportunity, Iran can adopt a smart policy, including linking its geo-economy with CPEC in the form of its macro-cooperation with China, to use this project as an opportunity for development and strengthening its regional position. However, it seems that its challenging dimension, including by reducing Pakistan's demand for gas imports from Iran and upgrading the transit position of this country, including theGwadar port againstChabahar, will weaken Iran's geo-economic position.