TEHRAN – Senior Iranian and Russian officials have held talks in Moscow to strengthen maritime and combined transport collaboration through the Caspian Sea, ahead of a joint meeting in Makhachkala.

According to IRNA, Saeid Rasouli, head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO), met with Dmitry Zverev, Russia’s deputy transport minister, and Tarasenko, head of the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport, at the Iranian Embassy in Moscow.

The discussions focused on developing maritime connectivity and boosting freight transport between the two countries, particularly within the Caspian corridor, which plays a key role in the International North–South Transit Corridor (INSTC).

Iranian and Russian officials, along with representatives from private transport companies, are scheduled to continue the talks on November 6–7 in Makhachkala, the capital of Russia’s Dagestan Republic.

Earlier, Russia’s transport minister had reported a 12.8 percent rise in road freight transport between the two countries in 2024, describing Iran as an increasingly important logistics partner in the region.

EF/MA