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Iran initiated a transit strategy encompassing several joint transport projects with Azerbaijan that including promoting bilateral relations will form a new transport link called the "Aras Corridor".
As part of trade and transit development with Azerbaijan to reach the target of 15 million tons transit by 2030 and also using diplomatic solutions within the framework of neighborhood policy to resolve tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia for stability and peace in the South Caucasus, the Islamic Republic of Iran initiated a transit strategy encompassing several joint transport projects with Azerbaijan that including promoting bilateral relations will form a new transport link called the "Aras Corridor" connecting the East Zangezur economic region of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Iran"s territory.
As a transit route, the Aras Corridor"s road and rail transit projects will be built with a length of 107 km and a credit amounting to 49,000 billion IRR.  Some parts of the implementation phase of the road section have been completed and other projects are still ongoing and expected to be implemented in 36 months.
This project, which is located on the East-West Corridor, starts from Kalaleh in Jolfa city in the north of East Azerbaijan in Iran and is connected to the Republic of Azerbaijan with the construction of 21 bridges and 5 large bridges.
In this sense, among the most important Aras Corridor"s rail and road projects is the construction of the "Aghband road bridge" over the Aras River. The strategic project was formally kicked off in October 2023 during the visit of Iran"s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash, as the head of the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Commission, to Azerbaijan with presence of Shahin Mustafayev. After 8 months, on May 18, 2024, this project was formally inaugurated by presence of Iran"s late President and President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
The length of the bridge is 220 m and the width is about 25 m. According to Bazrpash upon the operation, the number of vehicles that will pass through the border checkpoint will grow to 1,100 per day.  Besides this road bridge, the MoU for building a railway bridge alongside road bridge was signed by Bazrpash and Mustafayev in October 2023.

Source: Mehr News - Date: (May 25, 2024)