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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