Rail freight volumes between Iran and Azerbaijan have grown by 28 per cent over an 11-month period. Between March 2023 and February 2024, approximately 645,000 tonnes of goods were transported via rail between the two countries.
The director of Iran’s North Railway Administration stated that rail freight volumes between Iran and Azerbaijan grew by 28 per cent over 11 months. Volumes amounted to 645,000 tonnes of goods. In the preceding period, the two countries exchanged 501,000 tonnes of goods via rail.
Iran imported 206,000 tonnes of goods from Azerbaijan via rail during the past 11 months, which is an increase of 58 per cent. The country also exported 167,000 tonnes of goods through the Astara Rail Terminal. Most of all, Iran exported various kinds of fruits, cement, chemicals, tiles and other food products.
On the INSTC route
The border between Azerbaijan and Iran is a critical point along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). The corridor, which connects Russia to the Indian Ocean via Iran, has its western route leading through Azerbaijan. Currently, a vital section of the route is missing between the cities of Rasht and Astara. Its completion would mean that the western route would be able to serve cargo transport between Russia and Iran solely by rail.
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