Tehran, Moscow to ink agreement on Rasht-Astara construction

Iranian and Russian transport ministers have agreed on signing the agreement on constructing Rasht-Astara railroad section of the North-South International Transport Corridor by this March, Iran's envoy to Moscow announced.

News ID: ۲۰۰۰۷۸۶

04 February 2025

EghtesadOnline: "The Russian transport minister and his Iranian counterpart have repeatedly held consultations via video link on the project in recent three months," Kazem Jalali stated, TASS news agency reported.

"They agreed on signing of the agreement on implementation of this project by this March, and we hope that we will be able to take first steps to fulfil it this year," the diplomat added.

"Cooperation between Iran and Russia develops successfully in all areas," he said, adding that the creation of the North-South transport corridor is a megaproject within the framework of bilateral cooperation.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Jalali pointed to Russia’s gas transfer to Iran, saying that preparations for Russia's gas transfer to Iran are expected to be completed by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (to end March 20, 2025).

The two countries have so far established very good relations with each other in the political, security, and defense fields, he emphasized.

Salient progresses have been made in the economic field between Iran and Russia, he said, adding that one of the clear and successful manifestations of Iran-Russia cooperation is the cooperation in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

The connection of the banking networks between Iran and Russia eliminated the need for SWIFT in transactions, he added. / Mehr