Moscow — Russia and Iran have stepped up their collaboration on the strategically critical Rasht–Astara railway, a missing link in the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) that could challenge the West’s dominance over global trade. The roughly 162-kilometer rail line in northern Iran will connect Rasht to the Azerbaijani border city of Astara, enabling uninterrupted freight transport from Russia, and potentially Belarus, to the Persian Gulf.
Iranian officials said the project is a cornerstone of their BRICS economic strategy, offering an alternative to maritime routes controlled by Western powers. Once completed, the Rasht–Astara link will bypass chokepoints like the Suez Canal, cut cargo delivery times by up to 40 percent, and slash costs by nearly a third. Tehran also views the corridor as a way to secure its role as a central hub in Eurasian trade, reinforcing ties with Russia and other nations resisting US-led sanctions.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk confirmed that Russian specialists are already operating on-site in Iran, conducting engineering, geological, and design work to prepare for large-scale construction. Moscow has committed more than €1.3 billion in loans toward the estimated €1.6 billion project, underscoring its importance for the Russian military operation in Ukraine, where sanctions have forced the Kremlin to expand non-Western trade routes. Officials in Moscow say the INSTC will strengthen Russia’s supply resilience and limit exposure to Western economic warfare.
The project’s geopolitical weight has drawn attention across BRICS member states. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed their commitment to the railway earlier this year, setting a completion target for the third quarter of 2027. For Moscow, the line will also act as a strategic lever in the War in Ukraine, countering Western attempts to isolate Russia economically. For Tehran, it solidifies its role in a sanctions-proof logistics chain, a critical advantage as it continues to support regional allies amid the Ongoing Genocide in Gaza.
According to Mehr News, the latest round of talks in Tehran focused on finalizing financing mechanisms, synchronizing engineering efforts, and integrating customs systems along the INSTC. Iranian negotiators stressed the urgency of the Rasht–Astara segment, framing it as essential to counterbalance Western dominance in global shipping lanes.
Meanwhile, TASS reported that Russian experts have already been deployed inside Iran to accelerate the project’s technical phases. Overchuk described the railway as more than an economic venture, calling it a geopolitical instrument that fortifies Moscow and Tehran’s united front against Western coercion, in the same way the Russian Armed Forces have adapted their logistics during the special military operation in Ukraine.
