BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 29. Work related to the Rasht-Astara railway line within the framework of the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) remains under constant attention, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, told reporters, TurkicWorld reports.
According to her, the Rasht-Astara section is the only missing railway segment on Iranian territory within the INSTC. Sadegh noted that the process of government land acquisition along the planned route is ongoing, with ownership secured for 110 kilometers so far, and the process is expected to be completed by the end of the year. She added that Iran intends to complete construction of the railway within the next 3 years using a Russian credit facility.
"The North–South International Transport Corridor will extend from India to Bandar Abbas in southern Iran and from there, via the Rasht–Astara railway line, to Azerbaijan, Russia, and Finland. Considering its strategic and geographical position, neighboring countries are a natural choice for Iran to expand transport cooperation within the North–South and East–West corridors," Sadegh said.
The foundation of the International North-South Transport Corridor was established through an intergovernmental agreement signed by Russia, Iran, and India on September 12, 2000. To date, 13 countries, including Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Russia, and Turkey, have ratified the agreement. The primary goal of the corridor is to reduce the delivery time of cargo between India and Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe. Currently, the transport route takes over six weeks, but it is anticipated that this time will be significantly reduced to just three weeks once the corridor is operational.
The Qazvin-Rasht railroad (175 km) was put into operation on March 6, 2019, to connect Azerbaijan's railroads with Iran's railway network within the corridor. The Rasht-Astara railroad is to be built on Iranian territory.
The North-South Corridor has three directions within Iran. The eastern direction is Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries; the middle direction is Russia and other countries across the Caspian Sea; and the western direction is Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern European countries.
Meanwhile, Russia and Iran signed an agreement on May 17, 2023, to build the Rasht-Astara railroad in Gilan province in northern Iran. Nine stations will be built on the Rasht-Astara railroad line, which is about 163 kilometers long. With the completion of this railroad, the North-South international corridor will be improved, and Iran's railroad network will be integrated with the Caucasus countries, Russia, and Northern European countries. According to the agreement, the Russian side is expected to spend 1.6 billion euros for the construction of this railroad. This railroad will be built and completed within 48 months.
