WANA (Dec 23) – Iran’s President emphasized his administration’s firm commitment to completing the North-South strategic corridor during a meeting with Vitaly Savelyev, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, on Monday.

 

President Masoud Pezeshkian highlighted the significance of the Rasht-Astara railway as a priority project under the Iran-Russia agreement: “Iran is fully committed to the terms of this agreement, and the Russian side can proceed with route surveys and preliminary preparations for the project immediately. We will fulfill our responsibilities, including land acquisition and documentation, on schedule.”

 

The President underscored that the Iranian government remains dedicated to implementing the agreement, assigning the Minister of Roads and Urban Development to oversee its progress.

 

During the meeting, Savelyev conveyed greetings from the Russian President and Prime Minister and invited Pezeshkian to visit Russia in early 2025. The Russian government is preparing for this visit and its associated negotiations and agreements,” he said.

 

Reaffirming Russia’s commitment to the Rasht-Astara railway agreement, Savelyev stated, “We have secured the necessary credit line and are collaborating with Azerbaijan to develop the North-South Corridor. We urge Iran to expedite its efforts to implement this agreement.”

 

Savelyev also noted that Russia and Azerbaijan have agreed to modernize the railway segments within their territories and requested Iran’s cooperation in upgrading the section on its soil.

 

Describing the growing volume of freight transport between Russia and Iran, Savelyev added, “With the completion of the Rasht-Astara railway, we anticipate achieving an initial freight capacity of 15 million tons annually between our countries.”