TEHRAN - The director general of Iran’s North Railway Administration said the transit of goods between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan registered a 28 percent hike in the first 11 months of the current Iranian calendar year compared to the same period last year.

According to Gholam-Hossein Valadi, about 645,000 tons of goods have been exchanged between Iran and Azerbaijan in this period.

He put the volume of goods exchanged between Iran and Azerbaijan from March 21, 2022, to February 22, 2023, at more than 501,000 tons.

He went on to say that more than 206,000 tons of products were imported into the country via railway during the 11 months of the current year, showing a 58 percent rise compared to the same period last year, IRNA reported.

More than 167,000 tons of goods were exported from Astara Rail Terminal between March 21, 2023, and February 22, 2024, he stated.

Citrus fruits, various kinds of fruits, cement, chemicals, tiles, and major food products were among the main products exported from the country into the Republic of Azerbaijan via rail, he added.

Back in December 2023, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev said rail transportation between Iran and Azerbaijan increased by 47 percent in 2023.

Mustafayev, who is the head of the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee, made the remarks in a phone conversation with Iran’s Transport and Urban Development Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash.

According to Mustafayev, over 700,000 tons of goods were transported between the two countries by railway in 2023, which was a record high.

The official also noted that transit between the two countries also increased by 57 percent in the past year.

In this conversation, the latest developments in the relations between the two countries, especially in the economic field, including transportation and energy, were discussed and opinions were exchanged.

The officials also emphasized accelerating the finalization of joint projects, including the new transit route in the Astara border and joint dams.

EF/