Deputy Azeri Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev said at the plenary session of the Russia-Islamic World forum in Kazan last Friday that “as part of the implementation of the agreement between the governments of Azerbaijan and Russia on cooperation to develop transit freight shipments along the North-South ITC, the Azerbaijani side is carrying out all prescribed work to expand the capacity of railway infrastructure. The work is scheduled for completion by 2028. Throughput capacity will increase to 5 million tonnes per year with a future increase to 15 million tonnes.”
He also noted the importance of building a terminal in Astara on the border with Iran and currently lacking Rasht-Astara railway line, which will give the North-South corridor direct access to Persian Gulf ports Russia and Iran began survey work for the construction of the Rasht-Astara rail line, which will become part of the North-South corridor, in May 2025. The North-South international transport corridor project in Iran will be continued after the conflict in the Middle East ends.
