Azerbaijan and Iran have held high-level discussions regarding the acceleration of key transport infrastructure projects, with a specific focus on the completion of the Astara cargo terminal. The talks took place during a telephone conversation between the co-chairs of the State Commission for Economic, Trade, and Humanitarian Cooperation between the two nations: Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev and Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing the Cabinet of Ministers, the discussion centered on the implementation status of the Memorandum of Understanding signed during the 17th meeting of the State Commission, held in Baku this past February.
During the call, both officials reviewed the progress of ongoing bilateral initiatives in the economic, trade, transit, energy, and water sectors. A significant milestone highlighted during the conversation was the successful completion of the Aghband–Kalala road bridge, which serves as a vital link in regional connectivity. The parties also addressed the necessary steps to finalize construction works at the Astara cargo terminal, a project intended to bolster transit capacity between the two countries. The Astara terminal is a critical component of the International North-South Transport Corridor, an ambitious project designed to connect India, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia, thereby significantly reducing transit times for goods moving between South Asia and Northern Europe.
