BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 16. Iran's railway network should be connected to the railway networks of Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia, and other neighboring countries, said Amin Taraffo, head of the International Affairs Center at Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, Trend reports.
Speaking today at a press conference held during the 9th Transport, Logistics, and Related Services Exhibition in Tehran, Taraffo pointed out that Iran ought to get the ball rolling on establishing railway links with all its neighboring countries to open up a world of opportunities in transit and cargo transportation.
Taraffo said that it is true that Iran has railway connections with Russia and Central Asian countries to the east of the Caspian Sea. However, since the population density is in the western part of Russia, connecting the west of this country with a railway line is of great importance.
The ministry official added that considering the existence of a free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway line within the framework of the International North-South Transport Corridor is once again attracting attention.
The intergovernmental agreement signed on September 12, 2000, between Russia, Iran, and India laid the foundational framework for the North-South Transport Corridor. Since then, several countries have ratified the agreement, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Russia, Tajikistan, Türkiye, and Ukraine. The primary objective of the corridor is to significantly reduce the delivery time for cargo traveling from India to Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe. While the existing route takes over six weeks, the North-South Corridor is expected to shorten this to just three weeks.
On March 6, 2019, the 175 km Gazvin-Rasht railway began operations, connecting Azerbaijan’s rail network with Iran’s infrastructure within the corridor. Additionally, the Rasht-Astara railway is set to be constructed on Iranian soil.
The North-South Corridor within Iran comprises three main routes. The eastern route connects to Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries; the central route links to Russia and other nations across the Caspian Sea; and the western route connects to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
On May 17, 2023, Russia and Iran signed an agreement to build the Rasht-Astara railway in Gilan Province in northern Iran. This 163 km railway will feature nine stations and is expected to enhance the North-South Corridor’s efficiency. Upon completion, it will integrate Iran's railway network with those of the Caucasus, Russia, and Northern Europe. Under the terms of the agreement, Russia is committed to investing 1.6 billion euro in the construction of the railway, which is slated to be completed within 48 months.
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