The Caspian region remains one of the few areas where international law still functions and geography itself discourages large-scale war. Precisely for this reason, however, it is surrounded by persistent rumors, “gray-zone scenarios,” and expert speculation, especially amid the potential escalation around Iran, rising transit volumes along the Middle Corridor, and growing Western interest in alternative routes that bypass traditional hubs of instability.

Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR has signed a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with Gran Tierra Energy Inc. covering an onshore prospective area in the country’s Guba–Caspian region.

Against the backdrop of profound geopolitical shifts across Eurasia — from the war between Russia and Ukraine to the reconfiguration of trade and transport routes across the Caspian region — questions surrounding constitutional reform, regional integration, and the future balance of power in Central Asia and the South Caucasus are gaining renewed significance.

In an interview with News.Az, Kazakh political analyst Madi Omarov shares his assessment of Kazakhstan’s constitutional transformation, the prospects for deeper cooperation between Baku and Astana, and the broader strategic role of regional actors amid intensifying global competition.

As familiar energy maps begin to crack and sea routes increasingly hinge on political storms, global attention shifts to regions where calculation and pragmatism still prevail. The Caspian is no longer a “quiet inland body of water,” but a pivotal node where energy, transit, and geopolitics intersect.

Editor’s Note: Aytaj Mahammadova is an energy security expert affiliated with the Caspian-Alpine Society. The views expressed in this article are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of News.Az.

Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rahman Hummatov has met with a delegation led by Efgan Nifti, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of the Caspian Policy Center (CPC), a prominent U.S. research think tank, to discuss issues related to transport, energy, digitalization, economic cooperation, and sustainable development in the Caspian region.

Editor's note: Muhammad Hussein is a London-based political analyst. The article expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the view of News.Az.

The 30th Baku Energy Forum, a cornerstone event in the Caspian region’s energy sector, has officially begun as part of Baku Energy Week.