"After the electric train of Tabriz-Azarshahr railway line was inaugurated, a meeting was held with the Russian railway company's managing-director and different subjects went under negotiation," Director-General of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Railway Company for Investment and International Affairs Abbas Nazari said.

Noting that electrification of Garmsar-Gorgan was among the issues discussed with the Russian official, he said that the two sides decided to send a team of Russian experts to the region to study the project and present a draft contract.

Nazari also said that Iranian and Russian officials are due to discuss the two countries' cooperation in building a railway line which will connect Qazvin, Rasht and Astara cities in Northern-Northwestern Iran, Press TV reported.

Iran has been expanding and renovating its rail network in recent years. In line with the same efforts and to facilitate transportation and connection between Iran and its Northern neighbors, Iranian, Russian and Azeri officials in a series of meetings in February 2011 discussed prospects of railway construction in the North-South Corridor project.

They discussed creating a joint venture for the construction of the railway Qazvin-Rasht-Astara (Iran) to Astara (Azerbaijan), the design of construction and other issues.

The $400-million North-South transport corridor envisages creation of a single railway from Europe through Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran to India and South-East Asia. Most of the work will be done in Iran, which has no rail link to the border with Azerbaijan. Certain work worth $35-40 million is planned to be conducted in Azerbaijan.
 

منبع: خبرگزاری مهر