On October 14, delegations led by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk, and Minister of Roads and Urban Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mehrdad Bazrpash (Farzana Sadiq per translation) jointly inspected key infrastructure facilities of the North-South International Transport Corridor in the city of Astara, Azernews reports.

According to the Cabinet of Ministers, the delegations visited the automobile bridge over the Astarachay River on the Azerbaijan-Iran border, which was inaugurated in December 2023.

The bridge's throughput capacity reaches 1,000 freight vehicles per day - 500 entries and 500 exits - significantly easing cargo flow between the two countries.

The officials then reviewed the ongoing construction of the Southern Freight Terminal in the Iranian city of Astara, owned by Azerbaijan Railways. The terminal's current annual cargo handling capacity of 1 million tons is planned to increase to 5 million tons once expansion works are completed by the end of 2025.

The visit also included an inspection of the Rasht-Astara railway construction site in Iran - a strategically vital segment expected to enhance connectivity along the North-South corridor, strengthening regional trade and logistics cooperation among Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran.

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