Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), visited Iran to inspect the ongoing construction at the Astara Terminal alongside Jabbar Ali Zakeri, head of the Iranian railway administration.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing ADY, the officials received a detailed briefing on the project's current status, completed works, and upcoming phases. It was noted that construction and installation at the Astara Terminal, a critical infrastructure component of the International North-South Transport Corridor, is nearing completion.
During the meeting, the parties reviewed the current state of cooperation between the railways of Azerbaijan and Iran, discussed prospects for developing freight transport along the North-South corridor, and explored opportunities to increase cargo volumes.
The Astara Terminal is expected to significantly enhance the region's transit potential, with an estimated annual handling capacity of 3.5-4 million tons once fully operational. As a strategic component of the transport and logistics cooperation between the two nations, the terminal will facilitate increased mutual trade, accelerate international freight transport, and improve the competitiveness of the North-South corridor.
The visit concluded with the signing of a protocol on completing the terminal's construction and fostering cooperation to increase freight traffic along the International North-South Transport Corridor.
Notably, the Astara terminal handled over 345,000 tons of cargo in the first five months of 2026, marking a 26 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
