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Tehran, Moscow finalizing agreement for constructing Rasht-Astara railway
In a meeting held between Deputy Minister of Russian Railways Sergey Pavlov and Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali, the two sides emphasized compiling the contract for the implementation of the agreement to construct the Rasht-Astara Railway, reported Tasnim News Agency.
During the meeting, the two sides explored avenues for the development of transportation within the framework of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
In addition, the two sides examined the trend of bilateral cooperation regarding the construction of the Rasht-Astara Railway with the framework of the INSTC, according to the website of Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
The Deputy Minister of Russian Railways acknowledged during the meeting that transporting containerized cargo from the eastern side of the INSTC registered a 400 percent growth through ‘Sarakhs’ and ‘Incheh-Boroun’ customs in the first quarter of the current year (January-March) compared to the same period last year.
Talks are ongoing between Tehran and Moscow to determine the tariff for transporting chemical fertilizer and coal from Russia to Iran, the United Arab Emirates and India, Pavlov added.
Transportation experts opine that with the expeditious completion of the Rasht railway line, a portion of the traffic of the North-South corridor will be diverted from the road to the rail. This will not only reduce the cost and time of transporting goods but also provide the requisite platform for the development of the volume of Iran’s foreign trade.
The completion of the North-South Corridor, including the Rasht-Astara railway, will confer substantial benefits to Iran and the other countries involved. It will amplify Iran’s share of transit, predominantly in Caspian shipping, and position it as the hub of goods transit from southern countries to Europe, leading to a substantial reduction in transport costs and time. The development of the corridor will also have a positive impact on the overall economic growth of the region and create new employment opportunities.