Tehran and Moscow sign plan for major railway project

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At the signing: Mehrdad Bazrpash, Minister of Roads and Urban Development, and Russian Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev

Photo: Iran's Presidency/WANA / via REUTERS

Cooperation at a rapid pace: Iran and Russia have signed a plan for a joint railway project. The route will run from the port city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea to the border with Azerbaijan in the northwest, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin and President Ebrahim Raisi watched the signing via video link.

The route opens up an important railway route to the north for Iran. One possible route to Russia is through Azerbaijan, whose relations with Iran have recently been tense, but historically positive with Russia. Iran spoke of a route connecting St. Petersburg with the Persian Gulf. Raisi described the plan as an "important strategic step".

He now also hopes for an early conclusion of a contract between Moscow, Baku and Tehran on cooperation in rail freight transport along the North-South transport corridor, Putin said. According to Russian estimates, the route will cost 1.6 billion euros, and Russia is willing to lend 1.3 billion euros for it.

In the face of international sanctions, Iran and Russia have expanded their cooperation in the economic and military fields.

U.S.: Russia and Iran expand military cooperation

U.S. National Security Council communications director John Kirby said on Monday that Iran continues to supply attack drones to Russia. Since August, Iran has provided more than 400 drones to Russia. Most of them have already been used in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine – especially with the aim of destroying critical infrastructure there. Iran is one of Moscow's main military backers and allows Russian President Vladimir Putin to continue killing Ukrainians, Kirby said.

Trade is going both ways, he said. In April, Iran announced that it had reached an agreement with Moscow to purchase Russian fighter jets. Tehran also wants to buy other military equipment from Russia, such as helicopters and fighter jets.

Defense cooperation is thus a threat not only to Ukraine, but also to the Middle East and the international community, Kirby said. The plan is therefore to impose further punitive measures "in the coming days" against those involved in the increasing arms deals between Russia and Iran. The U.S. has already imposed far-reaching sanctions on both countries, but there is still room for further sanctions.

dop/dpa