BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 30. Iran is focusing on the activation of the North-South International Transport Corridor (INSTC), said the country’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, Trend reports.
Speaking at a meeting with Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, on August 30, Pezeshkian noted that completing and improving the remaining work within the INSTC project holds particular importance for economic cohesion, including among member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Pezeshkian mentioned that both Iran and Armenia are putting their noses to the grindstone to speed up bilateral agreements in the transport sector.
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 six weeks; however, it's anticipated to be trimmed down to three weeks through the International North-South Transport Corridor.
The Qazvin-Rasht railroad (175 km) was put into operation on March 6, 2019, to connect Azerbaijan's railroads with Iran's railway network within the corridor. The Rasht-Astara railroad is to be built on Iranian territory.
The North-South Corridor has three directions within Iran. The eastern direction is Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries; the middle direction is Russia and other countries across the Caspian Sea; and the western direction is Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern European countries.
To note, Russia and Iran signed an agreement on May 17, 2023, to build the Rasht-Astara railroad in Gilan province in northern Iran. Nine stations will be built on the Rasht-Astara railroad line, which is about 163 kilometers long. With the completion of this railroad, the North-South international corridor will be improved, and Iran's railroad network will be integrated with Caucasus countries, Russia, and Northern European countries. According to the agreement, the Russian side is expected to spend 1.6 billion euros for the construction of this railroad. This railroad will be built and completed within 48 months.
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