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The railroad links China to India, Pakistan, and Iran. It continues to the northern city of Rasht in Gilan province. Iran is expected to complete 170 kilometers of the railroad between the cities of Rasht and Astara in order to pave the way for creating a connection with Russian and Finland in Europe.
Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif stressed the importance of the North-South corridor, pointing to the deep impact of the project on the economy of the region.
The railroad corridor is going to connect countries in Europe, Central Asia, Russia and the Caucasus region to the Persian Gulf and India. The projects would pave the ground for the transport of 10 million tons of commodities and three million passengers annually. It is expected to enhance trade ties between Iran and the regional countries.
According to experts, ships travel from India to Russia via the Suez Canal takes 40 days, while the North-South corridor will reduce the trip to 14 days.
Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in 2020 to complete the North-South Corridor.
Russian and Iranian authorities have held several meetings to study the way to pave the ground for implementing the project in both countries.
Moscow and Tehran agreed upon a combination of measures in order to substitute the lack of the Rasht-Astara railroad; so, they will use road and sea transportation routes until the time when the Rasht-Astara railway is completed.
In January, Mikhail Pavlov, Managing Director of Russian Railways International, and Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali discussed the ways to speed up the implementation of the project.
Pavlov said that the two sides discussed significant issues, including the development of the Rasht-Astara railway as an important part of the North-South Corridor.
Jalali underlined that the construction of the Rasht-Astara railroad is of utmost importance, which could upgrade economic ties between Iran and Russia as well as the Eurasian Economic Union.
The multi-state project will be a proper corridor to export commodities of eastern countries to the green continent, the Iranian ambassador added.
The North-South Corridor is considered a 7,200-kilometer-long network of road, rail and ship routes for the transit of goods among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
1424
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