(TEHRAN _ MRDU News) – Iran and Russia have signed the 2025 Transport and Transit Cooperation Roadmap, which includes an addendum for engineering studies on the Rasht-Astara railway project. The agreement, signed by Iran’s Minister of Transport and Urban Development, H.E. Farzaneh Sadegh, and Russia’s Minister of Transport, H.E. Roman Vladimirovich Starovoyt, marks a significant step in advancing bilateral transport collaboration.
The signing ceremony was held at the Iranian Ministry of Transport and Urban Development in Tehran, attended by senior Iranian officials, including H.E. Saeed Rasouli, Deputy Minister of Transport and Acting Chairman of the Ports and Maritime Organization, H.E. Jabarali Zakeri, Managing Director of Iran’s Railway Company, H.E. Houshang Bazvand, Managing Director of the National Company for Transport Infrastructure Constructions and Development and H.E. Amin Taraffo, Head of the International Affairs Center.
Advancing the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)
Minister Sadegh stressed the importance of consistent dialogue to expedite the completion of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). She highlighted the role of the Caspian Economic Forum, currently hosted by Iran with the Russian side participation, in fostering economic, trade and transport synergies across the region.
Sadegh expressed optimism that the final contract for the Rasht-Astara railway project would be signed by late March, following the conclusion of project volume and cost assessments. She confirmed that land acquisition for the project is proceeding efficiently and is expected to conclude within a year. Additionally, she welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s endorsement of engineering studies for the railway, calling it a crucial step toward accelerating project completion.
The Iranian minister also underscored the potential for Iranian transit routes to connect Russian cargo to Pakistan and beyond. She urged the simplification of truck driver visa requirements, the expansion of Caspian Sea freight and passenger services, and greater air transport collaboration, including new routes, increased flight frequencies, and joint airline partnerships.
Russia Proposes Caspian Transport Consortium
Russian Transport Minister also supported Iran’s proposals and suggested establishing a Caspian transport consortium. Minister Sadegh welcomed the initiative, stressing the strategic importance of Iran and Russia taking the lead in its implementation.
Starovoyt also noted that the upcoming trilateral meeting between Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan would define cooperative measures for the INSTC’s western branch in the Caspian region. He further called for prioritizing transit cost alignment and addressing bottlenecks in both the corridor’s eastern and western branches.
Comprehensive Caspian Maritime Cooperation
On the sidelines of the Caspian Economic Forum, H.E. Dmitry Zverev, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Transport, met with H.E. Saeed Rasouli, Iran’s Deputy Transport Minister, to discuss enhanced maritime transit through the Caspian Sea. Discussions included plans for a cruise route between Iran’s Anzali Port and Russia’s Astrakhan Port and measures to streamline container shipping and facilitate perishable cargo handling.
Mr. Zverev also highlighted Russia’s commitment to upgrading Makhachkala Port and proposed a comprehensive maritime agreement with Iran to enhance port and logistics operations. In respect, Mr. Rasouli advocated for harmonized port tariffs, improved multimodal transit, and greater rail-port and road-port connectivity. He also announced Iran’s readiness to host a maritime cooperation summit to finalize a joint Caspian maritime roadmap.
Iran’s Maritime Transit Surge and Persistent Challenges
Resuming the high ranking meeting, Jalil Eslami, Deputy Head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization, reported a 128% year-on-year increase in maritime transit through Iranian ports, with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan leading in cargo volumes. However, Mr. Eslami identified persistent issues in Russian ports, including inefficiencies in scheduling, inadequate port services, and strict inspection protocols.
Mr. Eslami called for expedited resolution of a six-year delay in finalizing a maritime safety agreement between the two nations, as well as improved conditions for hazardous and perishable cargo handling. He also expressed Iran’s readiness to initiate cruise and passenger shipping services with Russia, urging Russian authorities to allocate a suitable cruise vessel for the route.
Boosting Bilateral Cooperation
The transport leaders of both nations reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in maritime, rail, and air transport. Minister Sadegh concluded that Iran-Russia collaboration, consistently supported by the leaders of both nations, would bring significant economic benefits to both countries and their broader regions.
#IranRussiaCooperation
#TransportRoadmap2025
#INSTC
#CaspianConnectivity
#RashtAstaraRailway
#TransitDevelopment
#MaritimeCooperation
#EconomicIntegration
#GlobalTransportLinks
