Fars: Iran explores "Caspian Express" to strengthen northern trade links

Amid disruptions along southern routes and growing uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is exploring ways to expand its foreign trade through the north of the country and the Caspian Sea, Fars reports.

"Under these circumstances, particular importance is attached to a route that some experts call the 'Caspian Express'. This route could connect Iran through its northern ports with Russia and then with the Eurasian transport network, partially reducing the country’s dependence on southern trade routes," the article says.

The Caspian Sea could also become an important route for importing essential goods, grain, agricultural products, timber and raw materials from Russia and Kazakhstan, as well as for exporting Iranian agricultural, industrial and construction products, it notes.

‘Under these circumstances, the priority should not be to accelerate the approval of the relevant document, but to complete the studies and conduct a comprehensive review of it.

For Iran, the key issue concerning the Caspian Sea is not only how much of its water surface or seabed will fall within its jurisdiction, but also what share of the trade, transit and economic benefits the country will be able to derive from using the Caspian Sea,’ the study says.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that conditions are being created to take relations with Azerbaijan to a new level. Among the countries with which he is exploring new opportunities for cooperation is Turkmenistan, another Caspian littoral state.

By Aghakazim Guliyev