Russia, Iran to Launch Joint Rasht-Astara Railway Line in 2027

© изображение сгенерировал ИИ

Russia and Iran are planning to start construction of the Rasht-Astara railway line in northern Iran in 2027, according to Sergey Pavlov, first deputy CEO of Russian Railways (RZD), Interfax reports.

Under the intergovernmental agreement, construction is expected to take three years. The project involves laying 162 km of railway tracks, building eight stations, 56 overpasses, 73 bridges, and 30 viaducts. Surveying work has already begun.

"It started at the beginning of this year, then there was a break due to military operations, and now it has been fully resumed," Pavlov said.

The total cost of the project is estimated at 1.6 billion euros, with Russia contributing 1.3 billion euros.

The Rasht-Astara railway will become part of the North-South Transport Corridor, stretching from St. Pyotrsburg to the Indian port of Mumbai. The total length of the corridor will be 7,200 km. Its launch will enable Russia to develop trade relations with countries in the South Caucasus, Caspian region, Iran, South Asian states, and the Persian Gulf.

The agreement to create the multimodal corridor was signed in 2000 by Russia, Iran, and India. To date, 12 countries are involved in the project.