Tehran, July 2 (MRUD NEWS)—The 13th Iran, Russia joint transport task force was held in Moscow from 27 to 29 June after three years hiatus due to covid-19 pandemic.
Shahriyar Afandizadeh, Iran deputy transport minister, and Dmitry Zverev, Russian deputy transport minister, headed the meeting and discussed transport and transit affairs in detail in different modes including rail, road, port and maritime and at the end of the meeting signed the protocol.
During the task force meeting, the two sides agreed for targeting 10 million tons freight transit along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
The two sides also decided on investments in logistics hubs in Shaheed Rajaee Port and Chabahar Port by Russia to increase the capacity of freight transit along the INSTC.
Moreover, joint rail projects including electrification of Garmsar-Incheboroun and Rasht-Astara were among other agendas for negotiations and agreements.
Dariush Amani, Iran deputy transport minister and head of Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RMTO), pointed to the satisfactory growth of road transactions in 2022 and emphasized on the necessity of removing barriers and facilitation of trucks traffic into their territories as well as procedures of obtaining visas for drivers.
Additionally, some agreements were also reached to set up joint shipping company, transit Russian coal to India through Iran, act for joint dredging of Volga River, improve international road passenger transport, facilitate traffics at the joint border terminals, coordinate traffic permits, develop cooperation with the neighboring countries along the INSTC, cooperate in increasing the capacity of port and maritime of the Caspian Sea along INSTC, supply wagons and locomotives, and increase the number of weekly freights.
The commission was attended by Iran ambassador to Russia, Iran deputy transport minister, heads of Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), Civil Aviation Organization, Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company, head of TIR Carnets at Iran Chamber of Commerce, and representatives of the private sector from trade union for passenger and freight transport.
Simultaneously, Iran and Russian Presidents were meeting in Ashghabat on the sidelines of the sixth Summit of the Caspian Sea littoral.