Tehran, October 19, 2024 (MRUD NEWS)—During the meeting in Tehran, Sadegh extended a warm welcome to the Azerbaijani delegation, highlighting the deep historical and cultural ties between the two nations as a strong foundation for enhancing bilateral relations.
“The development of relations with Azerbaijan holds significant importance in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Sadegh said. She expressed confidence that these ties will further strengthen through collaborative efforts, benefiting both countries.
As head of the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Cooperation Commission, Sadegh also expressed her satisfaction with the reopening of Azerbaijan's embassy in Tehran, reaffirming Iran’s readiness to expand cooperation in all sectors. She noted that the 16th session of the Joint Economic Commission would soon be held in Tehran to review various areas of mutual collaboration.
Sadegh praised ongoing cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan across various fields of transport and logistics, as well as infrastructure projects. She highlighted the recent commencement of the Rasht-Astara railway project, calling it a pivotal step in developing the North-South Corridor. She stressed the importance of Azerbaijan's participation in expanding rail infrastructure linked to this route.
Addressing road transport, Sadegh proposed increasing the daily capacity of vehicles crossing several border points, including Astara to 1,000 trucks, Bileh Savar to 800, Jolfa to 700, and Poldasht to 600. She called for a comprehensive agreement on transportation cooperation to be drafted, ensuring smoother logistics alongside infrastructure development.
Sadegh mentioned that a meeting could be organized within a month to finalize such an agreement, which would include the roadmap for achieving the 15 million tons of transit target.
On maritime cooperation, Sadegh proposed holding a joint technical meeting within the next month to finalize a draft agreement. She also emphasized the need to expand air transport between the two countries, suggesting the increase of joint flights as part of this effort.
The joint meeting between Sadegh and Mustafayev, who both chair the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Cooperation Commission, focused on advancing bilateral cooperation and enhancing interactions between the two neighboring countries.