TEHRAN – Iran and Azerbaijan’s transport ministries stressed their determination for removing barriers in the way of expanding mutual cooperation, the portal of Iranian Transport Ministry reported.

Iranian Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade met in Tehran on Saturday and discussed several issues including the financing of the Rasht-Astara railway project, problems regarding transit routes between the two countries as well as cooperation for resolving transport related issues and problems.
In the meeting, Akhoundi voiced his ministry’s satisfaction and gratitude for the Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s support for the Astara-Rasht railway project and his consistency regarding the expansion of mutual cooperation between the two countries.
He further mentioned Azerbaijan’s $500 million funding for the project, noting that Iran expects Azerbaijan to accelerate the process of funding and not to prolong the finance related affairs.
The minister also voiced Iran’s readiness for reducing tariffs and costs for the development of transit between the two countries.
Guluzade for his part, emphasized the importance of his country’s cooperation with Iran in transport area, saying that over “14,000 cars travel between Iran and Azerbaijan every year and we wish to increase this figure to 18,000 in the current year”.

EF/MA