Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia forge ahead with major trade route expansion - official

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has stated that activities will proceed within the International North-South Transport Corridor, a collaborative effort involving Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran.

“Railway capabilities, export transport, and logistics routes will be enhanced, fostering greater collaboration with our partners to the south,” Caliber.Az reports citing Novak’s interview with the Russian media.

Novak announced that an agreement had been reached with Iranian counterparts to finalise the 162-kilometre railway segment between Astara and Rasht as part of the project.

"This project is global in scope, aiming to establish a unified transport corridor linking the Baltic Sea to the Persian Gulf," he said.

The agreement to establish this transport corridor was originally signed in 2000 by Russia, Iran, and India. Currently, it involves 12 participant countries.

The corridor comprises three main routes: a western route along the western Caspian Sea coast through Azerbaijan, an eastern route along the eastern Caspian Sea coast, and a trans-Caspian route traversing the Caspian Sea itself.

The International North-South Transport Corridor is a major intercontinental transport route project initiated to facilitate trade and connectivity between Europe and Asia.

The International North-South Transport Corridor seeks to connect major ports and industrial centres across its participant nations, facilitating the movement of goods via rail, road, and maritime routes. It is envisioned as a pivotal initiative in bolstering trade and economic ties between Asia and Europe, promoting multi-modal transportation infrastructure development, and fostering geopolitical cooperation in the region.