The Supreme National Security Council of Iran has ratified the agreement on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway and thereby opened the way for the erection of one of the key links of the international transport corridor “North — South”. This was reported in an interview with Tasnim by the Deputy Minister of Road Construction and Urban Development of Iran Houshang Bazvand.

On the Russian side the package of documents for the construction of the railway line was signed by the private construction company Caspian Service, on the Iranian side by the state company Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company (CDTIC). Now on the 162 km railway section, Russia and Iran intend to build eight new stations, 56 overpasses, 73 bridges and 30 interchanges.

The Rasht-Astara section is the missing link of the “North — South” corridor, which will stretch for 7.2 thousand km from St. Petersburg to Indian Mumbai. Its launch will allow connecting the railway networks of Russia and Iran into a single system and create a seamless route to the Persian Gulf and South Asia. For all participants this means a reduction in transport costs, growth in trade volumes and strengthening of logistical resilience.

@epoddubny