Tehran, September 7 (MRUD NEWS)—Iran Minister of Transport is heading to Azerbaijan today at the head of a delegation for attending the trilateral summit between Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia for discussing the details of cooperation and investment in construction of Rasht-Astara Railroad.

The Rasht-Astara railroad is particularly important for completion of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and very strategic for Iran and regional countries as it is the missing route along the INSTC connecting northern Europe to the Indian Subcontinent.

Completion of the INSTC is important for freight transit and trade along the INSTC which is targeted at 10 million tons in 2023.

Previously, the Qazvin-Rasht Railway was put into operation to connect Azerbaijan railways with the Iranian railway network within the corridor. In addition, the 167-km-long Rasht-Astara railway line must be built in Iran.

Earlier in August, an expert delegation from Russian Railway came to Iran to discuss the details of construction of Rasht-Astara Railroad project with the deputy minister and the CEO of Iran's Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company (CDTIC), and few days later on August 24, Iran deputy minister, Shahriyar Afandizadeh, met with Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev, the State Secretary and deputy minister of transport of the Russian Federation, and his accompanying delegation regarding different transport projects including Rasht-Astara Railroad.