TEHRAN, February 14. /TASS/. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has committed to removing all obstacles hindering the development of the North-South Transport Corridor project by the end of March. Currently, Tehran and Moscow are collaborating on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway segment, which will facilitate direct transit to Persian Gulf ports.

"Relations between Iran and Russia are robust, with numerous agreements being signed and actively implemented," Pezeshkian stated. "We aim to eliminate remaining barriers by the end of the year (according to the Iranian calendar, March 20, 2026 - TASS) so that the railway route can be completed and become operational," he added, as reported by Tasnim News Agency.

In 2023, Iran and Russia signed a bilateral agreement to jointly develop a 160-kilometer section of the Rasht-Astara highway, a key component of the North-South Transport Corridor designed to provide efficient access to Persian Gulf ports. The entire project is valued at approximately 1.6 billion euros, with both nations sharing responsibilities for financing design, construction, and procurement of goods and services.

During a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 12, 2025, Pezeshkian announced plans to acquire 100 kilometers of the Rasht-Astara highway for construction, with the goal of completing the process by March 2026.