MOSCOW, July 5 – RIA "Dagestan". During a trilateral summit in Moscow, the directors of the railway networks of Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan formalized a protocol to enhance the western segment of the "North-South" transport corridor passing through Dagestan. The finalized document confirms a 50% rise in freight volumes and secures a commitment from all parties to adopt paperless administrative procedures.
Oleg Belozerov, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Russian Railways (JSC), headed the Russian delegation, while the Iranian side was represented by Jabbarali Zakeri, Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development and head of Iranian Railways. Rovshan Rustamov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways (CJSC), led the delegation from Azerbaijan. The attendees observed a steady and positive trajectory in freight shipments. Highlighting this growth, Belozerov reported a substantial jump in transit volumes at the Astara border crossing point in June. According to his data, the crossing processed 47.5 thousand tons of cargo, reflecting a 50% increase, alongside 555 TEUs, which was up 3.5% from the previous year.
As to the Russian Railways chief, the first-half shipments of major product categories in the southern direction totaled 264 thousand tons—roughly 27% more than in the same period last year—meeting the indicative volume benchmarks for 2026 that were endorsed together last December.
The newly inked protocol is set to become another step in enhancing the logistical power of the international corridor and widening the region's transit capacity.