...its plateaus. Geography alone made Iran a linchpin of global commerce. By the 2020s, it was poised to become a multi-modal transport hub, linking land, air, and sea routes between Asia, #Europe, and the Middle East. Here’s how that vision was meant to unfold: International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) The crown jewel was the INSTC: a 7,200-km network connecting India’s Mumbai to Russia’s St. Petersburg, with Iran at its centre. 40% faster cargo transit than the Suez Canal. 30 m...