The practical implementation of the Rasht-Astara railway project, which is part of the International North–South Transport Corridor, will begin on April 1. Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev announced this to reporters during a meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Iran.

According to the Russian energy minister, the two parties have managed to resolve all contentious issues that hindered the launch of this project.

“The North-South corridor is not only an energy corridor, but also a transport one. The construction of the Rasht-Astara railway line is linked to it. We have resolved practically all previously unresolved issues, including land registration and receipt of incentives,” Tsivilev said. “We announced today that on April 1, during the Transport Week in  Russia, we will reach a final agreement on the launch of this project.”

In 2023, Russia and Iran signed an agreement within the framework of the North-South project on the joint construction of a 160-kilometer section of the Rasht-Astara motorway between Iran and Azerbaijan, and this motorway will provide access to the ports of the Persian Gulf. The total cost of this project is 1.6 billion euros. Moscow and Tehran will jointly fund the design, construction, and supply of goods and services.