Russia expects to sign a contract with Iran for the Rasht‑Astara railway section by the end of the year, Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin said.
Land transfer will take place soon, and pre‑project studies are currently underway, he added.
"And the next step is signing the executive contract. I hope my colleagues and I will achieve this by the end of the year",
Nikitin said.
He noted that the construction timeline can only be finalised after the contract is signed.
