Media: Iran delays Rasht–Astara railway project due to ongoing Middle East conflict

Iran has postponed the signing of the executive contract for the construction of the Rasht–Astara railway due to ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, Kazem Jalali, Iran’s ambassador to Russia, has stated.

In an interview with Vedomosti, he said Tehran expects to begin implementing the project by the end of 2026.

“The United States and Israel unleashed a war, and because of the war, it was not possible to carry out this plan. But the war will not force us to abandon it entirely,” he stressed.

According to him, this year, Iran hopes to be able to implement the executive part of the contract.

The ambassador added that current conditions only underscore the importance of “redesigning logistics infrastructure.”

The International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) links St. Petersburg with the Indian port of Mumbai and is intended to facilitate Russia’s foreign trade with countries in the South Caucasus, the Caspian region, Iran, South Asia, and the Persian Gulf.

Construction of the Rasht–Astara section had been scheduled to begin on April 1.

The agreement for its construction was signed by Russia and Iran in May 2023.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov