Tehran reveals timeframe for starting construction of railway between Azerbaijan, Iran

Iran’s Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development Shahriyar Efendizadeh has said that the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway corridor between Iran and Azerbaijan will begin in a month and a half.

"According to the agreement reached, we hope to start implementing this project from the beginning of 2024, in about a month and a half," the deputy minister said, Report informs, citing Tasnim News Agency.

Efendizadeh also noted that the 162-kilometer section of the Rasht- Astara railway is the most important railway project in the Islamic Republic at the moment.

On May 17, Russia and Iran signed an agreement within the framework of the North-South project on the joint construction of a section of the Rasht-Astara road between Azerbaijan and Iran, which will provide through passage to the ports of the Persian Gulf. The total cost of the project is €1.6 billion. An interstate loan worth €1.3 billion will be allocated for the construction of the site. According to the document, Moscow and Tehran will jointly finance the design, construction, as well as the supply of goods and services.

It is expected that the Rasht - Astara line will be built with the participation of Moscow and Tehran, and the Astara - Astara line with the participation of Moscow, Tehran and Baku.