The Rasht–Astara railway in northern Iran

[william]

Russia and Iran are reportedly nearing the signing of an executive agreement for the construction of the Rasht–Astara railway in northern Iran.The 162-km rail link is a key missing section of the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), strengthening connectivity between Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and the Persian Gulf.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2091432268602790224

• The X post reports that Russia and Iran are close to signing an executive agreement to build the 162-km Rasht-Astara railway, completing a key gap in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) linking Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and the Persian Gulf.
• Recent Iranian statements confirm land acquisition is nearly done, with a delegation expected in Russia within weeks to finalize the contract and enable construction by a Russian contractor, building on a 2023 intergovernmental financing deal estimated at €1.6 billion.
• Completion would boost freight capacity along the INSTC western route, supporting growing Russia-Iran trade flows such as grain exports and reducing reliance on truck transfers across the current break.