TEHRAN – Iran’s Minister of Transport and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev have stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of joint border projects, including the Astara border terminal and under-construction bridges along the frontier.

According to a statement from Iran’s Transport Ministry, the two officials—who co-chair the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Cooperation Committee—met to discuss expanding economic and operational ties, with a particular focus on cross-border infrastructure projects.

It was also agreed that Mustafayev will visit the Iranian city of Astara in the near future to inspect the progress of ongoing joint ventures. The both sides reviewed bilateral economic matters under the committee’s framework and held talks on how to advance the projects and resolve any potential obstacles.

In a recent meeting, Sadegh and Mustafayev had reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating joint border infrastructure projects.

Significant progress has already been made with the Astarachay (Astara–Astara) bridge, inaugurated on December 31, 2023.

Spanning 89 meters in length and over 30 meters in width, the bridge features four lanes for vehicles and separate pedestrian walkways.

Built at a cost of around €5.8 million, it runs parallel to the Baku–Astara freeway and seamlessly connects Iranian and Azerbaijani transport corridors, enhancing transit between Iran and CIS and Eastern European countries.

Officials at the inauguration noted that bilateral trade had grown substantially—trade volume increased by nearly 46 percent and transit activity surged by 45 percent—underscoring the bridge's importance as part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Looking ahead, one of the most transformative projects under discussion is the Astara–Rasht–Qazvin railway link, a key segment of INSTC. With the Astara dual-gauge rail connection completed in March 2017 and a test train running in early 2018, the ongoing Rasht–Astara leg (approximately 162 km with 8 stations, 56 bridges, and 35 overpasses) is expected to be finalized in the coming years. As of mid-2025, project plans and financing—including a €1.6 billion Russian backed loan—have been secured. When complete, this rail corridor will dramatically boost both Iran’s regional connectivity and export capacity.

Supporting infrastructure initiatives such as the Aghband automobile bridge over the Aras River are also under active development. Construction began in 2022, with a target completion timeline of 18 months—intended to link Nakhchivan with mainland Azerbaijan via Iranian territory.

These joint ventures reinforce not only economic integration but also broader regional connectivity.

Overall, Iran and Azerbaijan see these projects as strategic linchpins in strengthening transit, trade, and energy cooperation. Both sides emphasize that accelerating execution, aligning customs procedures, and mobilizing joint financing will be critical to unlocking the full potential of this deepening bilateral relationship.

In mid-May, senior officials from Iran and Azerbaijan stressed the need to expedite the construction of key transit routes during a high-level meeting in Tehran, highlighting the strategic importance of enhancing connectivity between the neighboring countries.

Ali Akbar Ahmadian, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, met with Hikmet Farhad oglu Hajiyev, foreign policy advisor to the President of Azerbaijan to discuss advancing bilateral cooperation, particularly in the transport and infrastructure sectors.

Ahmadian said the historical ties and geographic proximity between Iran and Azerbaijan necessitate the elevation of economic and political relations to their highest potential. Referring to the recent visit by Iran’s president to Baku, he noted that Tehran is committed to fully implementing the agreements made during that trip as well as previous bilateral accords.

“Accelerating the development of transit routes between our countries is a strategic necessity,” Ahmadian said, adding that these projects must be pursued at the highest levels to overcome existing obstacles to economic and trade cooperation.

Hajiyev echoed the sentiment, stating that the Iranian president’s visit to Baku opened a new chapter in bilateral relations. He noted that the signed cooperation documents between Tehran and Baku reflect a growing dynamism in their ties that is expected to continue.

Hajiyev also underscored the strategic value of transit corridors passing through Iran, expressing Azerbaijan’s strong commitment to expanding trade, banking cooperation, and joint energy field development with its southern neighbor.

Trade relations between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan have seen remarkable growth in recent years. By leveraging their cultural, historical, and geographical commonalities, the two countries have worked to expand their economic cooperation through joint projects, border trade exchanges, and the development of transit corridors.

The Republic of Azerbaijan holds an important position in Iran's neighborly policies. Beyond the bonds of neighborhood and historical connections, the two nations share familial ties.

Fortunately, a new chapter has been opened in the relations between the two countries, which is promising for both nations. There are numerous opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation ahead of them.

The agreements reached and the joint projects currently underway between Iran and Azerbaijan in the fields of trade, energy, and transportation, as well as the continuation and strengthening of these collaborations, will transform Iran and Azerbaijan into strategic partners for one another.

Iran and Azerbaijan signed Persian and Azeri versions of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on April 8 during the 16th Joint Economic Committee meeting, co-chaired by Iran’s minister of transport and urban development and Azerbaijan’s deputy prime minister.

The meeting between Iranian Minister Farzaneh Sadegh and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev focused on reviewing bilateral projects and cooperation in economic, transport, trade, energy, and banking sectors.

The signed Persian and Azeri texts of the memorandum were appended to the English version of the MOU, which had been previously signed in Tehran in February 2025.

As part of her official visit, Minister Sadegh also inspected joint transport infrastructure projects between the two countries.

Sadegh, who also chairs the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee, also met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku to discuss bilateral ties and economic cooperation. The meeting focused on expanding joint projects across key sectors including transportation, customs, water and energy, oil and gas, and preferential trade.

At the beginning of the meeting, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev appreciated the recent reciprocal visits of high-level delegations from Azerbaijan and Iran, noting that these visits provide a valuable opportunity to strengthen friendship between the two countries and promote bilateral cooperation.

He mentioned the holding of the meeting of the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee and emphasized that the meeting’s agenda includes important projects aimed at expanding cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, energy, and transportation.

The Iranian minister, for her part, emphasized her country’s interest in developing relations with Azerbaijan in all areas, and pointed to the strong historical, cultural, and religious ties between the two nations.

Sadegh led a high-level Iranian delegation to Azerbaijan from April 7 to 10 to review progress on past agreements, remove barriers to joint ventures, and lay the groundwork for an upcoming visit by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his accompanying delegation to Baku (on Monday, April 28).

Amin Tarafo’, advisor to the minister and head of the ministry’s international affairs office, said the trip was made at the formal invitation of Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev.

In a previous meeting between Mustafayev and Iran’s Former Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Abdolnaser Hemmati, the Iranian side said the country is determined to expand its trade ties with neighboring Azerbaijan.

Hemmati said the size of trade between Iran and Azerbaijan, which is around $400 million per year, is very low and does not match the state of relations between the two countries.

After the meeting, the official said that he and Mustafayev had agreed in their meeting that communication between the banking and insurance institutions of Iran and Azerbaijan should expand to allow an increase in trade relations between the two countries.

EF/MA