INSTC Forum Planned in Feb.

Representatives from Iran, Russia, India, Belarus and Azerbaijan will attend a forum on the International North-South Transport Corridor in Tehran on February 17, director of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways’ Transit Commission, Hossein Ashouri, announced. The INSTC is a major transit route designed to facilitate the transportation of goods from Mumbai in India to Helsinki in Finland, using Iranian ports and railroads, which the Islamic Republic plans to connect to those of Azerbaijan and Russia, IRNA reported. According to Roads and Urban Development Minister Abbas Akhoundi, the railroad connecting Iran’s northwestern city of Astara to the eponymous Azerbaijani city is expected to come on stream this week.  The railroad, which is part of a bigger project to connect Iran and Azerbaijan’s rail system, is a strand of INSTC.