Tehran, Baku discuss joint projects
Senior officials from Iran and Azerbaijan held negotiations to fill the joint Khoda Afarin Dam with water, and to elevate the oil and gas swap deal in cooperation with Turkmenistan.
In a meeting with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Baku on Saturday, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash pointed to the new conditions in the region, and added that the idea of peace in the Caucasus promises the development of transit cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan, based on the “Iran Road” initiative and planning for accelerating transit in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), IRNA reported.
Bazrpash emphasized the importance of strengthening and developing transport-transit cooperation within the comprehensive, purposeful and forward-looking framework, given the “Iran Road” initiative, and reiterated that the transit initiative of “Iran Road” is consistent with the mega projects of the Republic of Azerbaijan and can open a new chapter of transit and logistics cooperation for both sides.
The comprehensive program of promoting transit of up to 15 million tons of goods per year has been targeted in the 2023 Vision, the roads minister noted.
The Aras Corridor, from Aghband to Jolfa, will be put into operation as the East-West Corridor in Iran, in line with the initiative of “Iran Road,” he emphasized.
Bazrpash pointed to the tripartite statement between Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia in September 2022, entitled the “Baku Statement,” with regard to the development of the INSTC, and added that this statement entails considerable key backgrounds for constructive and progressive measures, in line with the development of all-out cooperation.
The chairman of the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission further stated that the growth of transit and development in logistics and its functional indices are of paramount importance in the next five-year plan, and a golden opportunity for the development of bilateral ties.
Bazrpash also stressed the promotion of oil and gas swap deal in cooperation with Turkmenistan.
Iran’s roads minister further discussed the issue of transport in the Astara-Astara project, constructing the Aghband Bridge, facilitating the transit of Iranian fleet in Azerbaijan, and expanding cooperation in the field of Ro-Ro vessels in the Caspian Sea.
Strengthening of friendly ties
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, for his part, stressed the importance of the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a bridge and border and customs infrastructure, as well as coastal fortification projects in the area near Aghband settlement of the Zangilan district, saying that this would contribute to the further strengthening of friendly relations between the two countries.
Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan was continuing its activities on the creation of transport corridors in both bilateral and multilateral formats.
Aliyev underlined that the construction of roads and railways connecting the two countries was of great importance for the region and would serve stability and cooperation for the entire region.
He also noted the significance of the work carried out towards the development of the North-South transport corridor and further expansion of its capacity.
Saying that the agenda of bilateral relations covered not only the transport sector but also a broad range of other areas, the president hailed the activity of the Intergovernmental Commission, noting that good results had been achieved in all areas.
Aliyev pointed out that the Azerbaijani-Iranian friendship and cooperation were an important factor for the entire region.