During an unannounced visit to the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, the president emphasized that if Iran succeeds in completing the corridor using the mechanisms currently available, it will unlock extensive transit potential connecting Iran with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, and Azerbaijan.
“If we manage to complete this, it will be a game changer,” he said. “They won’t be able to sanction us anymore.”
The North–South Corridor is a major international transport route aimed at linking Northern Europe with Southern Asia via Iran through both land and sea.
This corridor significantly reduces the time and cost of cargo transport between Europe and Asia.
Iran, Russia, and India are the founding members, with other participating nations including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus, and Oman.
Key transit routes run through Iran’s southern ports—such as Bandar Abbas and Chabahar—connecting to the Caucasus, Central Asia, and beyond via road, rail, and the Caspian Sea.
One critical project within this corridor is the Rasht–Astara railway, which will connect Iran’s rail network to that of the Caucasus and Northern Europe.
