Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Rostam Qasemi and his Russian counterpart Vitaly Savelyev signed a comprehensive agreement on Friday on different transportation areas.
Qassemi had traveled to Moscow on Tuesday night for transportation discussions.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Russian minister expressed hope that bilateral cooperation between Iran and Russia on transportation will deepen day after day.
The North-South Corridor can serve as a base for expansion of cooperation between Russia, Iran, Central Asian countries and the Caucasus, Savelyev said, noting that implementation of this major project requires a document to be signed.
He expressed hope that the Rasht-Astara rail project will be completed as part of the North-South Corridor through mutual cooperation of Iran and Russia.
Savelyev said that once the rail road projects, the Rasht-Astara in particular, are completed, North Europe will be linked to India which will have many benefits for the countries on the way, including Iran and Russia.
The Iranian minister, for his part, said that Iran is willing to expand relations with the neighboring countries, Russia in particular with which Iran has many historical common grounds.
Qasemi said that if Iran and Russia develop close cooperation with each other, the US and Western sanctions against the two countries will have no effect.
Underlining the role of transportation ties, the Iranian minister said that any trade requires the promotion of transportation and any transportation agreement between Iran and Russia is possible.