Russia and Iran discuss launch of "North-South" corridor

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani held a meeting with Russian Presidential Assistant Igor Levitin to discuss the construction of the strategic Rasht-Astara railway, located on the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Shamkhani, who is visiting Moscow to attend the 5th Regional Security Dialogue Conference, in a meeting with Levitin exchanged viewpoints with him on joint economic investment projects of Iran and Russia.

In the meeting, Shamkhani expressed delight over the growing comprehensive relations of the two countries, especially in the economic field, as the top priority in Tehran-Moscow relations, arguing that implementing the joint economic projects is a big and very important step, IRNA reported.

According to him, the countries' efforts aimed at accelerating the operations to complete the North-South Corridor, including the construction of Rasht-Astara railway to complete that corridor, relying on Russian investments, will revolutionize the regional economy.

"Construction of Incheh Borun-Garmsar railway, too, is another agreement of the two countries, and is an important act in completion of the goods transit chain in the region, which will blossom and develop the economy of the Caspian Sea coastal provinces drastically," Shamkhani added.

Earlier Vestnik Kavkaza reported that Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf called for expanding cooperation with Russia.