BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 15. Belarusian
President Alexander Lukashenko met with Iranian Foreign Minister
Abbas Araghchi and discussed the implementation of the bilateral
cooperation roadmap for 2023–2026, with a focus on defining
priorities for the next stage of partnership development, Trend reports via the press
service of the Belarusian president.
Lukashenko noted that the visit provided an opportunity to take
stock of progress under the existing roadmap and to outline
concrete plans for the near and medium term. He stressed that
political and diplomatic relations between the two countries remain
stable, adding that economic cooperation forms the backbone of the
bilateral agenda.
“The foundation of everything is the economy, trade, and
economic relations. Within the framework of the roadmap, we can
achieve much more,” Lukashenko said.
He proposed to identify specific areas of cooperation that
should be prioritized in the coming period.
The Belarusian leader emphasized Minsk’s reputation as a
reliable partner, recalling previous agreements reached during
high-level visits and underlining Belarus’s commitment to
fulfilling all obligations included in the roadmap.
For his part, Araghchi said the 2023-2026 roadmap is being
implemented consistently and is delivering tangible results. He
highlighted the recent meeting of the intergovernmental commission
and sectoral contacts, describing them as important milestones in
advancing the agreed plans.
According to the Iranian foreign minister, the roadmap provides
a solid framework for expanding practical cooperation, particularly
in trade and industry, and both sides intend to continue close
coordination to ensure its full realization.
Earlier, on December 8, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban
Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, met with Belarus’ Minister of
Industry, Andrei Kuznetsov. She stated that Iran is ready to
increase freight transport and transit with Belarus within the
framework of the International North-South Transport Corridor
(INSTC).
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 International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a
7,200 km multimodal network connecting India, Iran, Russia, Central
Asia, and Europe, established in 2000 to enhance regional trade. It
promotes economic cooperation and offers an alternative to routes
like the Suez Canal by linking Mumbai to Moscow via Iran and
Azerbaijan. Originally founded by Russia, Iran, and India, it now
includes several other countries as participants or observers. The
corridor utilizes ships, rail, and roads, significantly reducing
delivery times and costs, particularly benefiting landlocked
nations by improving access to South Asian markets.
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