BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 16. The North-South International Transport Corridor is seen as a crucial link for Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia, said Hadi Haghshenas, the governor of Iran’s Gilan Province, Trend reports.
Speaking at an event marking the launch of geological surveys along the planned route of the Rasht-Astara railway, Haghshenas noted that the corridor plays an effective role in strengthening both economic growth and regional security.
The governor stated that one of Iran’s top transportation priorities is connecting the southern port city of Bandar Abbas with the northern border town of Astara via railway. This link can play a fundamental role in facilitating both cargo and passenger transport.
He also highlighted the operational capacity already present in the region.
“Over the past 2 years, an average of 15 wagons per day have been loaded and unloaded at the Caspian port located in the Anzali Free Trade Zone, and about 35 wagons per day at the Astara rail terminal. These figures point to the great potential within the regional supply chain,” he said.
Haghshenas noted that around 20 percent of the 162-kilometer Rasht-Astara railway has already been prepared for construction.
The foundation of the ‘International North-South Transport Corridor’ was laid on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement signed between Russia, Iran, and India on September 12, 2000. In total, 13 countries have ratified the agreement, including Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Russia, Türkiye, etc.
The aim of setting up a corridor is to cut down the delivery time of cargo from India to Russia, along with Northern and Western Europe. The delivery time on the current route is dragging its feet at over 6 weeks; however, it's anticipated to be trimmed down to 3 weeks through the International North-South Transport Corridor.
To facilitate the integration of Azerbaijan Railways with the Iranian rail infrastructure within the designated corridor, the Qazvin-Rasht rail link, spanning 175 kilometers, was officially commissioned on March 6, 2019. The Rasht-Astara rail corridor is slated for development within the geopolitical confines of the Iranian territory.
The north-south corridor has 3 directions in the territory of Iran. Eastern direction: Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries; Middle direction: 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 line in Gilan province, northern Iran. The 163-kilometer-long Rasht-Astara railway line will house nine stations. The completion of this railroad will enhance the North-South international corridor and connect Iran's railroad network to the Caucasus countries, Russia, and Northern European countries. Under the agreement, the Russian side is to spend 1.6 billion euros on the construction of this railroad. This railroad is planned to be built and completed within 48 months.
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