Iran’s Gilan, Russia’s Ulyanovsk to launch first cargo ship, eye joint trade office
The first cargo vessel carrying goods from Iran’s Astara port to Russia’s Ulyanovsk region will soon be loaded and dispatched, officials from both sides announced Monday, marking a concrete step toward expanding bilateral trade and transit cooperation between the two regions.
The announcement came during a meeting in the northern Iranian city of Rasht between Alahyar Mesbahi, the deputy economic governor of Iran’s Gilan Province, and Ruslan Gainetdinov, an advisor to the governor of Ulyanovsk, ISNA reported.
According to Gainetdinov, the move follows completed transportation feasibility studies between Gilan and Ulyanovsk, leveraging existing logistical capacities. “This initiative can serve as a foundation for expanding trade exchanges and strengthening transit corridors between Iran and Russia,” he said.
Gainetdinov described Gilan as a “strategic gateway” for Russian imports and exports and expressed Ulyanovsk’s readiness to cooperate across logistics, rail, and maritime transport sectors. He specified interest in Iranian exports such as petroleum products, methyl ethyl glycol, specialty resins, and construction materials.
In a separate meeting with the Russian trade delegation, Mesbahi emphasized that establishing direct maritime and rail links between Gilan and Ulyanovsk would require additional joint sessions.
He confirmed Iran’s readiness to form a joint governmental working group between the two provinces to advance coordination.
Mesbahi also proposed the creation of a joint commercial office within the Gilan Chamber of Commerce to streamline cooperation. “We suggest establishing a joint Gilan-Ulyanovsk trade office at the provincial chamber of commerce to facilitate and follow up on collaborative initiatives,” he said.
He added that both regions aim to build shared value chains. “Gilan and Ulyanovsk are pursuing the creation of joint value chains — an initiative that can enhance both sides’ presence in regional markets and solidify long-term economic collaboration,” he said.