Rail Freight Transport between Iran, Azerbaijan Registers 47% Rise in 2023

Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash and First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev, as the heads of the Iran- Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission, held a telephone conversation on December 22 to confer on joint economic agendas including transport and energy. 

During the phone talk, Mustafayev pointed to the growth of freight transit between the two countries and noted that in 2023, the transport between Iran and Azerbaijan Republic registered a 40 percent hike, while there was a 57 percent growth in international transit and a 47 percent increase in the rail transport.  

For the first time, more than 700,000 tons of freight were transported by rail between the two countries mainly to Russia, Mustafayev added. 

The two sides also emphasized on accelerating the joint projects, including the new transit route in Astara and the construction of dams.

They also agreed on the opening of a new transit passage between the two countries at the Astara Border in the near future with the participation of the heads of the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission, the website of Iran's Ministry of Roads and Urban Development stated. 

Back in October, the construction operation of the Aghband road bridge over the Aras River formally kicked off as a new transport link between the East Zangezur economic region of the Azerbaijan Republic and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Iran's territory during the visit of Iran's minister of roads and urban development to the Azerbaijan Republic.