Tehran expressed on Friday a strong interest in expanding its relations with Moscow in the railroad sector. The announcement was made by the Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"We are interested in expanding ties in the railroad sector. Now, transport corridors play a very important role. The basis of trade is transit," Jalali emphasized.

A significant development in this sector is the planned resumption of the Rasht-Caspian railway project, which Jalali mentioned would proceed following the early presidential elections in Iran.

The 27th edition of SPIEF, taking place from June 5-8, is being hosted by the Russian city of St. Petersburg. Last year, the forum attracted 17,000 participants from 130 countries and saw the signing of over 900 agreements, underscoring its significance as a major platform for international economic cooperation.

Rasht-Astara railway

Iran and Russia signed last May an agreement worth $1.6 billion to build the Rasht-Astara railway, a project in northern Iran that will be key to the transit of cargo through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash and Russia’s Minister of Transport Vitaly Saveliev signed the agreement in Tehran in a ceremony that was attended by late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

According to the state-run Iranian news agency IRNA, the 162-kilometer railway will connect the Iranian city of Rasht near the Caspian Sea to Astara on the border with Azerbaijan.

The agency explained that once completed, the Rasht-Astara railway will allow rail freight transport from the Gulf to Helsinki in Finland via Russia's Saint Petersburg.

Putin said the launch of the Rasht-Astara railway in Iran will allow diversifying global traffic flows, adding that such transportation will have competitive advantages.

The Russian president expressed Moscow's hope that the agreement between Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan on cooperation in the development of railway and cargo transportation will be signed promptly.

He indicated that the INSTC corridor will play a major role in guaranteeing food security in Iran and countries in the Gulf region.

Putin highlighted that Russian-Iranian relations are at their highest level, emphasizing that Moscow pays special attention to ties with Tehran.

Elsewhere, the Russian president thanked Iranian leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei for his support for the growing ties between the two countries.