BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 9. Iran is ready to increase freight transport and transit with Belarus within the framework of the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, said at a meeting in Tehran on December 8 with Belarus’ Minister of Industry, Andrei Kuznetsov, Trend reports.
Sadegh noted that Iran can provide opportunities for Belarus at its national ports to support this initiative.
She also stated that a comprehensive freight transport agreement is being prepared between Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) and the Belarusian Ministry of Road Transport. The document is expected to be signed during the Belarusian minister’s visit to Iran.
The Iranian minister emphasized that, over the past eleven months, 1,059 trucks have passed through Belarusian territory, while 123 trucks have transited through Iran. Iran is prepared to establish the necessary conditions to facilitate a significant increase in the number of Belarusian trucks using its territory.
Minister Sadegh also announced that an agreement has been reached to operate four weekly flights between the two nations. Iran is eager to expand the frequency of these direct flights to further bolster trade and economic exchange.
Regarding railway cooperation, Sadegh highlighted the potential to enhance the transport of goods from China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan through Iran’s rail network, thus facilitating regional trade.
During the meeting, Belarusian Minister Andrei Kuznetsov expressed his agreement with the proposals presented by Iran, affirming the shared goal of enhancing freight activities between the two countries and addressing the obstacles that currently impede smoother transport operations.