Iran also intends to diversify trade and transit with Azerbaijan in the railway sector, the Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi told Trend.
Mousavi said that both countries currently use the railway line built to the railway terminal in the Astara County of Iran.
The ambassador added that the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to increase the volume of annual cargo transportation through railways to 2 million tons.
"There are railways from the Bandar Abbas port in the Persian Gulf (southern Iran) to the Rasht city of Gilan Province (northern Iran), which are used. A part of the railways from Rasht to Astara is under construction. With the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway line, the Iranian railways will be fully connected to the Azerbaijani railways, and through Azerbaijan to Russia and Eastern Europe," he noted.
According to Mousavi, at the same time, a number of joint works are planned to be carried out between the two countries in the field of railway. One of them is the connection of the Iranian railways to the Azerbaijani railways through the Parsabad County in the Ardabil Province (northwestern Iran). This railway line will help increase trade in agricultural products between the two countries (Azerbaijan and Iran), with Russia and other countries.
As reported, the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway in northern Iran within the North-South corridor will be completed in 4 years at best. A large part of the 160 km long railway line passes through productive areas. Therefore, efforts have been made to resolve the issue differently. About 80 km of this railway line will be built through a bridge or tunnel, and 80 km – on land.
Iran intends to build a railway terminal in the Parsabad County of Ardabil Province with an investment of private sector. In this regard, about 10-km length of railway line will be laid.
