Tehran, October 9 (MRUD NEWS)—Following recent cooperation of Iran and Azerbaijan for construction of road and rail bridge over Aras River which was reached on October 7, Kheirollah Khademi, Iran Deputy Minister and CEO of the Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company informed that the plans for construction of these two bridges will be prepared by the technical working groups of the two countries within a month in order to be approved by the two sides for implementation. 

Pointing to the protocols signed by Iran Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash, and Shahin Mustafayev, the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan in his visit to Azerbaijan on October 6, Khademi said that construction of the road bridge in the Aghbend Region was kicked off in the visit. 

Khademi also stated that besides the road bridge, the MoU for building a railroad bridge alongside road bridge is signed by Bazrpash and Mustafayev which allow Azerbaijan to pass through the Iranian territory with the investment of the Azerbaijan. 

The road and rail bridges over Aras River will form a new transport link between the East Zangezur economic region of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Iran's territory.

In July 2023, the heads of Iran and Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission met in Astara where they discussed different bilateral agendas for increased trade and transit and reached some agreements.