Tehran, Moscow stress expansion of maritime transport cooperation
Iran and Russia stressed expansion of maritime transport cooperation during a phone call between the deputy ministers from both sides.
In a phone call between Iranian Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development Saeed Rasouli and Russian counterpart, Dmitry Azarov, the two sides emphasized strengthening maritime transport collaboration and agreed to hold a joint meeting in the port of Makhachkala, Russia, IRNA reported.
The two sides reached an agreement to convene a joint session within the next two months at the Russian port of Makhachkala, aimed at operationalizing the establishment of the Iran-Russia Maritime Transport Consortium.
The meeting will include officials from Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization alongside private sector representatives, as well as managers from Russia’s Ministry of Transport, the Federal Maritime and River Transport Agency, and Russian private entities.
During the call, Rasouli underscored the critical importance of boosting combined transport and transit along the Caspian route, reflecting Tehran and Moscow’s shared commitment to revitalizing the North-South Transport Corridor. The head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization stressed the need to streamline and enhance efficiency across all existing routes of the corridor, particularly by activating Caspian Sea transport operations — especially container shipping via northern Iranian ports and Russian ports.
Rasouli thanked the Russian side for their cooperation in drafting and signing the 2025 roadmap for expanding Iran-Russia transport cooperation, which was recently finalized.
He also urged the swift formation and launch of the Iran-Russia Maritime Transport Consortium with participation from both countries’ private sectors, which he described as “instrumental in advancing transport and transit in the Caspian region.”
The deputy minister noted that maximizing the use of logistical and transit capacities in the Caspian Sea and expanding commercial collaboration align with the directives of senior Iranian and Russian leadership.
He also expressed Iran Ports and Maritime Organization’s full preparedness “to engage in this specialized meeting to develop a comprehensive maritime roadmap and a joint action plan for maritime transport.”