BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Representatives from Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia will gather in Baku next month to examine the expansion of freight transportation through the International North-South Transport Corridor, Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh stated, Trend reports.
During her visit to construction works on the Rasht-Astara railway in Iran’s northern Gilan Province, Sadegh noted that important agreements are expected to be signed during the trilateral meeting.
Sadegh explained that the International North-South Transport Corridor creates a direct rail route from India to the Persian Gulf, through Azerbaijan and Russia to Europe, and even has the potential to positively influence East-West corridors.
She highlighted that in Iran, special focus is being placed on building the Rasht–Astara railway, which will stretch for 160 kilometers. Over the past year, the government has intensified efforts, purchasing the land for 80 kilometers of the route. Of this, 30 kilometers have been handed over to the Russian side for research, with further land transfers expected in the coming weeks to allow technical operations to begin.
She added that the land acquisition process will be completed by the end of the Iranian year (March 20, 2026), ensuring that the territory will be ready for construction.
“The meeting in Baku is of great importance. It will result in key decisions on transit and freight cooperation between Iran and its neighboring countries,” Sadegh emphasized.
The minister emphasized the considerable prospects of cargo transportation through the Caspian Sea and Iran’s Caspian port, highlighting the synergistic relationship between rail and maritime corridors, which can markedly enhance Iran’s stake in the regional transit landscape.
The foundation for the North-South transport corridor was laid based on an intergovernmental agreement between Russia, Iran, and India dated September 12, 2000. In total, this agreement has been ratified by several countries (the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Bulgaria, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Türkiye, and Ukraine). The purpose of creating the corridor is to reduce the delivery time of goods from India to Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe (the delivery time along the current route is more than 6 weeks, while the North-South route is expected to take three weeks).
As part of the corridor, the Qazvin-Rasht railway (175 km) was put into operation on March 6, 2019, connecting the Azerbaijani railways with the Iranian railway network. The Rasht-Astara railway is to be built on Iranian territory.
The North-South Corridor has three directions in Iran. The eastern direction is Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries, the middle direction is Russia and other countries via the Caspian Sea, and the western direction is Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern European countries.
On May 17, 2023, Russia and Iran signed an agreement on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway in the province of Gilan, located in northern Iran. Nine stations will be built on the Rasht-Astara railway line, which will be about 163 km long. The completion of this railway will improve the North-South international corridor and connect Iran's railway network with the Caucasus, Russia, and Northern Europe. According to the agreement, Russia is expected to allocate 1.6 billion euros for the construction of this railway. The construction and completion of the railway is planned within 48 months.
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