TEHRAN – Iranian and Russian transport officials have agreed to hold a joint meeting in the Russian port city of Makhachkala within the next two months as part of efforts to operationalize a bilateral maritime transport consortium.

According to Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), the agreement was reached during a phone call between Saeed Rasouli, Deputy Minister of Transport and Urban Development and head of the PMO, and Dmitry Azarov, Russia’s Deputy Transport Minister.

The planned session will bring together senior representatives from the PMO, the Russian Ministry of Transport, the Russian Federal Maritime and River Transport Agency, and private sector players from both countries. The goal is to activate a joint maritime transport consortium, in line with the 2025 Iran-Russia Joint Action Plan signed in Tehran on February 18, and the outcomes of the most recent session of the Iran-Russia Joint Commission held in Moscow.

Rasouli underscored the importance of boosting combined transport and transit via the Caspian Sea, particularly in the context of the International North–South Transit Corridor (INSTC). He emphasized the need to facilitate cargo movements through all viable routes along the corridor, especially container shipments between Iranian and Russian ports on the Caspian.

He expressed appreciation for Russia’s cooperation in drafting the newly signed 2025 roadmap and called for the prompt launch of the joint consortium, with full engagement from the private sectors on both sides. Rasouli said this initiative, first proposed by Iran during a recent Caspian regional summit, would help remove obstacles for private firms and deliver rapid, lasting results.

He also reaffirmed Iran’s readiness to work on a comprehensive maritime roadmap and joint operational plan to boost bilateral sea transport links.

Rasouli noted that aligning port tariffs, improving customs procedures, and promoting container and multimodal shipping via the Caspian are key priorities that require close field-level cooperation and strong private sector participation.

Azarov, for his part, welcomed Iran’s proposals and voiced Russia’s readiness to address bottlenecks in Caspian maritime logistics. He cited scheduling inefficiencies and the handling of perishable goods as areas needing urgent attention. Azarov added that Moscow is seeking a comprehensive agreement with Tehran on maritime and port cooperation.

EF/MA