Syunik Province
Syunik is Armenia's strategic chokepoint: the corridor to Iran that Azerbaijan demands as Zangezur, while copper mining generates 7.6% of GDP despite territorial incursions since 2021.
Syunik Province is Armenia's most geopolitically critical territory—a narrow corridor connecting the country's main body to its border with Iran. Azerbaijan demands a 'Zangezur Corridor' through Syunik to link its mainland with the Nakhchivan exclave, which would effectively sever Armenia's southern lifeline. Since 2021, Azerbaijani forces have occupied positions within sovereign Armenian territory in Syunik, overlooking highways linking Yerevan to Iran. The province thus experiences daily uncertainty about whether established roads will remain passable.
Despite—or because of—this geopolitical stress, Syunik contributes 7.6% of Armenia's GDP, second only to Yerevan. The Zangezur copper-molybdenum combine near Kajaran dominates the provincial economy and represents significant national export earnings. Mining operations continue despite artillery exchanges and territorial incursions, demonstrating how economic necessity can override security concerns. Iran has declared it will not accept changes to international borders here, making Syunik a flashpoint for potential regional escalation involving Russia, Turkey, Iran, and Western powers.