Iranrud (Persian: ایرانرود) which means Iran River in Persian, was a plan to build a canal from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf. The former Soviet Union was eager to realize this project because its only warm water ports led to the Strait of Istanbul and the Dardanelles, which were under the control of Turkey, a NATO country.
There were two different proposals for the route of the canal:[1]
- directly to the Indian Ocean through Dasht-e Lut, or;
- from the Caspian to Lake Urmia and after that to the Persian Gulf.
- ^ "Iran rud : The Great Canal of Persia". 2014-09-29. Retrieved 2017-07-07.