TEHRAN – Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has set up an inter-agency task force to launch a new international cargo transportation route and become an operator at Iran’s Chabahar port.
The decree, which was posted on the government’s website, aims to organize a multimodal high-speed route for international cargo transportation via Armenia, Armenian News Agency ARKA reported.
The task force’s objectives include discussions and development of a new corridor for cargo transportation that will connect the countries of East Asia, India, and Iran with Europe through Georgia and the Black Sea, as an alternative to the North-South international transport corridor.
The task force, which will be led by the Armenian Minister of Economy, will report to the Prime Minister on a quarterly basis on the progress of the project, with final results due before November 1, 2023. The task force is also tasked to establish contacts and discuss technical and other issues with relevant departments of India, Georgia, and Iran.
In April, Yerevan hosted the first political consultations in trilateral format between the Foreign Ministries of Armenia, Iran, and India. The meeting discussed new economic, regional, and communication channels, as well as the prospects for deepening trilateral cooperation in various areas.
Last year, Arsen Avagyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Iran, stated that the “North-South” highway would significantly reduce the distance between Iran and Georgia. After the completion of the construction of that highway, it will be possible to deliver cargo from Chabahar, Bandar Abbas, and other southern Iranian ports to the Georgian ports of the Black Sea within 2-3 days, further continuing the route to Europe.