By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) got a fresh boost on Wednesday with the signing of a 1.6 billion deal by Iran and Russia for completion of the vital 162 km rail link between Rasht in Gilan Province with the northern part of the city of Astara which lies in the Republic of Azerbaijan.
When complete in the next three years this would be a 7,200 km long rail track stretching from Iranian ports on the Persian Gulf to major east European cities, thereby significantly reducing the time and freight charges for transit of cargoes from Russia to India and beyond.
The grand project facilitates transit of goods originating in Europe and destined for India through Russia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, avoiding the circuitous and expensive sea route through the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal and the Red Sea.
Iran which is a land bridge for the landlocked countries to its north in the Caucasus and Central Asia, is already linked by rail and road to the republics of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kirghizstan, all of which have flourishing trade ties with India.
This is indeed an economic bonanza for all countries involved, and an incentive for India to speed up development of the section of the Chabahar Port on the Gulf of Oman allotted to it by Iran for storage and transport of goods.
Iran is also fast modernizing its ports on the Caspian for receiving of cargoes from Russia via the world’s largest inland sea for shipment through the Islamic Republic for several south Asian and African countries.
As remarked by President Hojjat al-Islam Seyyed Ibrahim Raisi in Tehran at the signing ceremony: “Iran and Russia are cooperating in different fields. Today’s [railway construction] deal is one of the manifestations of cooperation not only between the two countries, but also other states on the path of the INSTC.”
It is obvious that the common enemies of Iran and Russia, such as the US, are mad with rage at these developments which nullify the illegal American sanctions, and are indeed a “win-win” situation for all countries of the free world involved.
As noted by Iran’s Chief Executive: “The INSTC will benefit all regional states as it will establish friendship, convergence and commercial cooperation between the countries in East Asia, as well as those in the Caucasus and Northeastern Europe.”
In Moscow President Vladimir Putin was also fully confident of the benefits of this safest, shortest, and cost effective route, when he said via video link: “The unique North-South transport artery, of which the Rasht-Astara railway will become a part, will help to significantly diversify global traffic flows.”