Iran-Russia to Launch Permanent Marine Route

Iran and Russia plan to launch a permanent shipping route in the Caspian Sea for trade via container ships, an official said. A member of Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce, Jalil Jalaifar, added the shipping route will become operational as of September, reported Tasnim News Agency. Iran has been unable to raise the level of exports of agricultural products and foodstuffs to Russia via the Caspian Sea for years due to a lack of sufficient container ships, he noted, saying cargo vessels capable of carrying refrigerated containers will be used for trade via the new shipping route.

Jalaifar added based on a decision by the International North-South Transit Corridor Joint Taskforce, two container ships will begin goods transportation between Russia’s port of Astrakhan and two Iranian ports of Caspian and Qazian in Bandar Anzali, northern Iran. Iranian and Russian officials have already agreed to hold the 16th session of the Joint Economic Cooperation Commission in September.

In a telephone conversation in April, Iranian President Hassan Rohani and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, discussed ways to maintain and expand trade ties amid the coronavirus outbreak and enhance cooperation in the fight against the virus. Highlighting the close and strategic relations between Iran and Russia in recent years, Rouhani stressed the need for developing bilateral relations and cooperation, especially in the fields of trade, economy, science and medicine.

Iran’s exports to Russia have increased by 20% during the first quarter of the current calendar year (March 20-June 20), the chairman of Iran-Russia Joint Chamber of Commerce announced on July 25. Hadi Tizhoosh-Taban said the growth in the exports indicates that the coronavirus pandemic has failed to impact trade between the two countries.

Two weeks ago, in a videoconference between Iran’s Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali and officials of Federal Customs Service of Russia – including Vladimir Vladimirovich Ivin, the executive agency’s deputy head, the two sides explored ways to boost bilateral customs cooperation. In an address to the conference, Jalali said Iran is ready to create customs “Green Corridor” with Russia amid the pandemic, at a time when many international activities have been suspended. During the talks, the two sides exchanged views about fostering customs cooperation and resolving problems faced by Iranian truck drivers. -  Iran News Daily, Mehr