Research route: Russia and Iran have made progress in the implementation of the North–South MTC

Russia and Iran are making progress in the implementation of a global transport project, the North–South corridor. Engineering and geological surveys have begun on the Rasht–Astara section, Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit told Izvestia. According to him, Russia and Iran have agreed to carry out the work, and contractors have already begun to carry it out. This stage precedes the start of construction and will be part of the preparations for the implementation of the western route of the international transport corridor, which will connect Russia with the ports of the Persian Gulf and further to India. The route is capable of changing global logistics and reducing delivery times by 30-40% compared to traditional sea routes through the Suez Canal.

Preparation of the key section of the North–South MTK

Engineering and geological surveys have started on the Rasht–Astara section passing through Azerbaijan and Iran, the first stage before the construction of a railway line designed to become a key link in the western route of the North–South International transport corridor (ITC). This was reported to Izvestia by the Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Roman Starovoit. According to him, the contractors have already started the work.

— We are conducting engineering geological surveys. We have agreed on this, and the contractors have started surveys. Before starting construction, it is necessary to carry out this work," stressed the head of the Ministry of Transport.

Photo: AP Photo/R. Parthibhan

These surveys will form the basis for the subsequent construction of a 162-kilometer railway segment between the cities of Rasht and Astara. It will connect the railway networks of Russia and Iran, eliminating one of the main bottlenecks on the route from Russia to the ports of the Persian Gulf and further to India.

An agreement on the joint implementation of the project was signed between Moscow and Tehran in 2023. The total cost of construction is estimated at €1.6 billion, of which €1.3 billion will be an interstate loan provided by Russia.

Photo: Global Look Press/Rouzbeh Fouladi

According to preliminary estimates, the project involves the construction of 18 tunnels, which makes it technically and financially difficult. Given the geographical features of the region — the mountainous terrain in the north-west of Iran — the implementation will require not only large-scale engineering solutions, but also time. According to the Iranian Ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, the Rasht–Astara railway can be built no earlier than in 3-4 years.

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The significance and prospects of the North–South project

The North–South International Transport Corridor is one of the most ambitious projects in Eurasia that can significantly change logistics in this part of the world. According to estimates by the Eurasian Development Bank, cargo transportation along the North–South corridor may amount to between $25 million and $32 million by 2030.

Currently, goods are transported by road between Rasht and Astara, which slows down logistics and increases costs. The new railway line will ensure the continuous movement of goods from Russia through Iran to the ports of the Indian Ocean and back. According to the Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations of India, the route can reduce delivery times by 30-40% compared to traditional sea routes through the Suez Canal.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Eduard Kornienko

Lana Ravandi-Fadai, a senior researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes that the completion of the Rasht–Astara section will create a through land route from Russia to the southern ports of Iran, including Bandar Abbas. According to her, this will provide direct access to the Persian Gulf and open up additional prospects for Russian exporters.

The construction of the Rasht–Astara segment was also actively discussed during the III Caspian Economic Forum, held in Tehran on February 18, 2024. Following the meeting, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk noted that Moscow was recording progress in negotiations with its Iranian partners and Tehran's interest in launching the project as soon as possible.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Ilya Naimushin

An additional difficulty is the choice of track: it was decided that the road would combine two standards — European (1435 mm) and Russian (1520 mm). This will increase the flexibility of the route, but at the same time increase the technical load and require appropriate adaptation of the rolling stock at the junction of the networks.

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Russia's partnership with Iran

Preparations for the construction of the Rasht–Astara section and the launch of the key link of the North–South corridor are taking place against the background of the strengthening trade and economic partnership between Iran and the EAEU countries. The agreement on the establishment of a free trade zone between Tehran and the Eurasian Economic Union comes into force on May 15. This document provides for providing the EAEU countries with broad access to the Iranian market with a population of almost 90 million people and a significant reduction in non-tariff restrictions.

According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagai, the implementation of the agreement will be an incentive to increase trade turnover and deepen economic ties with the countries of the union. Tehran considers rapprochement with the EAEU as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its regional influence and integration into the Eurasian space.

Photo: TASS/EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

In this context, the political rapprochement between Moscow and Tehran is becoming more and more noticeable. In April, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans to visit Iran in 2025. According to the official representative of the Iranian government, Fatemeh Mohajerani, preparations for the visit are already underway through diplomatic channels. However, the dates of Vladimir Putin's visit to Iran have not yet been agreed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

It is obvious that the infrastructural cooperation between the two countries, the intensification of trade and economic ties and political dialogue form a stable basis for a strategic partnership.