TEHRAN – Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi has called for increasing electricity exchange with neighboring countries in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev in Tehran, IRNA reported on Monday.

Mentioning that Iran and Azerbaijan’s power grids are already connected and the two countries are exchanging electricity, Aliabadi expressed hope that the level of exchanges will increase soon.

“The electrical connection between Iran and Azerbaijan is now established, and it is hoped that this will increase by the summer of next year; It is also suggested that negotiations be held between Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia to expand cooperation in the electricity sector,” the minister said.

“Negotiations have also been held with Russia and it was decided to follow up on this issue in an upcoming meeting. The establishment of a power line between the two countries will be very beneficial for both sides economically,” he added.

A roadmap for reaching 15m tons of transit

During his stay in Tehran, Mustafayev also met and held talks with the Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Farzaneh Sadegh.

In this meeting, Sadegh called for the preparation of a roadmap to increase annual transit between Iran and Azerbaijan to 15 million tons.

“The development of relations with the Republic of Azerbaijan has a high importance in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and I am confident that these relations will be further enhanced in the future and in line with the interests of the two countries,” she said.

The minister stressed that Iran is ready to develop relations with Azerbaijan in all sectors and the Transport Ministry is prepared to hold the two countries’ 16th Joint Economic Committee meeting in Tehran as soon as possible to review all areas of cooperation.

In last December, Iran and Azerbaijan inaugurated a cross-border bridge over the Astarachay River to facilitate transit of goods between the two countries.

The opening ceremony of the border bridge was attended by Iranian and Azeri officials including Mustafayev and former Iranian Minister of Transport and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash.

The border, which has been completed at a cost of €5.8 million, runs parallel to the Baku-Astara freeway up to the Astara border, the portal of the Iranian Transport Ministry reported.

Spanning 89 meters in length and over 30 meters in width, the bridge has four lanes for vehicles and a covered pedestrian walkway on each side.

The construction of the bridge began in March 2022.

While the existing bridge in Astara is located in the old area of the city, the new bridge is connected to Azerbaijan near the railway bridge.

Along with the Astara-Astara highway, the bridge now completes the route from Astara to Baku, connecting the highway to Iran’s land routes.

The bridge facilitates the transit of goods from Iran and Azerbaijan to the countries of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) and Eastern Europe. 

It also provides the Republic of Azerbaijan with access to the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the bridge, Mustafayev said: “In the shadow of the wise management of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Iran, the relations between the two countries are growing and developing continuously.”

“Last year, the exchange of goods between the two countries grew by 46 percent, and transit rose by 45 percent, which is an important indicator of the development of infrastructure for transit between the two countries,” the official said.

Referring to the importance of the North-South International Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the role it plays in the growth of economic relations between the two countries, Mustafayev added: “The opening of this new Astara-Astara bridge is very important in developing economic relations, transfer and transit between the two countries.”

EF/MA

Photo: Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi (R) and Azeri Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev talk to reporters in Tehran on Monday, October 14.