Iran's minister praises outcome of talks in Baku on strategic transit projects

A trilateral meeting between Iran, Russia, and Azerbaijan held in Baku has been hailed as a meaningful step forward in the development of key regional transit initiatives, particularly the Rasht–Astara railway project—one of the most vital segments of the International North–South Transport Corridor.

Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzana Sadig described the discussions as highly productive, noting that the meeting created an effective platform for aligning the North–South transport corridors and overcoming administrative hurdles, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Telegram channel Free Iran.

The minister emphasized that the talks focused on the integration of railway and port infrastructure, technical coordination, and project planning. She confirmed that the parties reached relevant agreements to support the implementation of these efforts.

"This trilateral coordination could strengthen Iran’s economic position along the International North–South Transport Corridor and increase its cargo transit capacity,"  the minister stated.

The Rasht–Astara railway line is widely regarded as one of the most technically challenging yet strategically significant sections of the corridor, which aims to enhance connectivity between South Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Europe through a multimodal network of road, rail, and sea routes.

By Vafa Guliyeva