Operation of rail route for the transport of goods has been delegated to the Azerbaijan Republic for 15 years, he stated during his inspection of Astara-Astara rail route project.
This significant rail route will be inaugurated on Thursday by the presidents of the two countries through video conference, he said, adding, “for this purpose, a $500 million worth of contract was signed and sealed between the two countries of Iran and Azerbaijan Republic for the construction of Rasht-Astara railway project.”
Rasht-Astara railway project will complete North-South rail corridor whose contract was inked 16 years ago, Ashuri maintained.
Once operational, goods can be transported from India to Eastern Europe by railway through Iran and Azerbaijan.
Astara railway freight station will be constructed on a land area as large as 60 ha, consisting of eight bid fuel reservoirs and several warehouses, he opined.
Ashuri went on to say that Astara-Astara railway project was among the first plans to be executed following the implementation of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the official title of nuclear deal.
He added that economic cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan Republic has been strengthened in the recent years and this railway will be a win-win deal for both countries.
As home to 91,000 people, Astara border port city is located in west of Gilan province and has 38 km common land border and 15 km of water border with Azerbaijan Republic, he concluded.
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