TEHRAN – Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) has ratified the agreement with Russia on the construction of the Rasht–Astara railway, clearing the way for accelerated implementation of the strategic infrastructure project, a senior Iranian official announced.
Hooshang Bazvand, deputy minister of roads and urban development, told Tasnim News Agency on Sunday that the agreement required approval either by the Iranian Parliament or the SNSC.
He said Russia had initially requested that Iran obtain parliamentary approval for the agreement, in line with the procedure followed in Russia. However, following consultations and subsequent efforts, the SNSC approved the agreement last week.
Bazvand said the council’s approval would allow the project to move forward at a faster pace.
He added that the remaining 37 kilometers of land along the railway route had been handed over to the Russian contractor last Wednesday, bringing the entire 162-kilometer route under the project’s disposal for the necessary surveys, technical studies and field assessments.
The Rasht–Astara railway is a key missing link in completing the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a major multimodal network designed to connect Russia and other countries in northern Eurasia with Iran and markets further south.
Once completed, the railway is expected to strengthen regional connectivity, facilitate freight transit, reduce transportation costs and expand trade between Iran, Russia and other countries along the corridor.
Bazvand described the project as a vital component of international cooperation aimed at developing transport infrastructure in Iran and across the wider region.
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