Vice Chairman of Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce Jalil Jalalifar has urged the need for Russia’s more investment and more active partnership in the North-South Transport Corridor project.
Jalalifar said that the implementation of the corridor project is the most strategic issue between Iran and Russia which will definitely be discussed during an upcoming visit to Russia by President Ebrahim Raeisi.
Noting that Russia is also seeking to expand relations with East African countries, India and Pakistan, he added that the best and safest route for Russia to access these countries is the North-South Transit Corridor through the Iranian soil.
Referring to the major role of Iran and Russia in implementing the project, Jalalifar said that the presidents of both countries need to discuss the required infrastructure for the launch of the corridor.
He said that the logistic infrastructure are not prepared in Russia’s southern ports. “Iran has repeatedly referred to this issue in the joint commission meetings but nothing has been done yet.”
With 14 neighbors, Russia enjoys a geostrategic position and is therefore one of the biggest and most accessible markets for Iran, Jalalifar said, adding that Iran has also 15 neighbors some of which are shared with Russia and therefore the two countries are strategically important for the development of each other.
Interaction and convergence between Iran and Russia is inevitable and the two countries have to focus on removing all the obstacles on the way of bilateral economic relations, he said.
Iran exported $775 million worth of goods to Russia during the first 10 months of 2021 – a new record in recent years, according to Iran’s ambassador to Moscow.
Kazem Jalali made the remarks in an interview with IRNA late December 2021, adding, the figure indicates a 122% year-on-year growth in exports to Russia.