BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 15. The Road Map of the two countries on transport and freight transportation for 2025 will be signed between Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development and Russia's Minister of Transport, Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh told reporters following a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers in Tehran on January 15, Trend reports.
According to her, at least four meetings have been held between her and Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoyt over the past one and a half months. They discussed land, rail, sea, and cargo transportation during these meetings and agreed on a roadmap.
Sadegh noted that it is known that an agreement was signed between Iran and Russia in 2023 to build the Rasht-Astara railroad as part of the North-South international transportation corridor. It is expected that another agreement will be reached in this connection on the visit to Russia.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will visit Russia on January 17. During the visit, the two countries will sign a document on comprehensive strategic cooperation.
To note, the intergovernmental agreement signed on September 12, 2000, between Russia, Iran, and India laid the foundation for the North-South Transport Corridor. In general, several countries have ratified the agreement. (Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Bulgaria, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Sultanate of Oman, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Türkiye, Ukraine). The purpose of the corridor is to reduce the time of cargo delivery from India to Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe (the delivery time along the current route is more than 6 weeks, and through “North-South” is expected to be 3 weeks).
In order to connect Azerbaijan Railways with the Iranian railroad network within the corridor, the Qazvin-Rasht railroad (175 km) was put into operation on March 6, 2019. The Rasht-Astara railroad is to be built on the territory of Iran.
The North-South Corridor has three directions in Iran. Eastern direction: Turkey and Central Asian countries; Middle direction: Russia and other countries across the Caspian Sea; Western direction: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern European countries.
On May 17, 2023, Russia and Iran signed an agreement to build the Rasht-Astara railroad in Gilan province in northern Iran. The Rasht-Astara railroad line, spanning approximately 163 kilometers, will see the construction of nine stations. With the completion of this railroad, the North-South international corridor will be improved, and Iran's railroad network will be integrated with the Caucasus countries, Russia, and Northern European countries. The agreement expects the Russian side to invest 1.6 billion euros in the construction of this railroad. This railroad will be built and completed within 48 months.
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