Iran, Azerbaijan Sign Bilingual MOU

Iran and Azerbaijan signed Persian and Azeri versions of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Tuesday during the 16th Joint Economic Committee meeting, co-chaired by Iran’s Minister of Transport and Urban Development and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister.

According to the Ministry of Transport and Urban Development, the meeting between Iranian Minister Farzaneh Sadegh and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev focused on reviewing bilateral projects and cooperation in economic, transport, trade, energy, and banking sectors.

The two sides also finalized agreements and action plans to be highlighted during the upcoming visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Azerbaijan. The signed Persian and Azeri texts of the memorandum were appended to the English version of the MOU, which had been previously signed in Tehran in February 2025.

As part of her official visit, Minister Sadegh is also scheduled to inspect joint transport infrastructure projects between the two countries. Sadegh, who also chairs the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee, also met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku to discuss bilateral ties and economic cooperation.

According to a statement from Iran’s Transport and Urban Development Ministry on Tuesday, the meeting focused on expanding joint projects across key sectors including transportation, customs, water and energy, oil and gas, and preferential trade.

At the beginning of the meeting, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev appreciated the recent reciprocal visits of high-level delegations from Azerbaijan and Iran, noting that these visits provide a valuable opportunity to strengthen friendship between the two countries and promote bilateral cooperation.

He mentioned the holding of the meeting of the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee and emphasized that the meeting’s agenda includes important projects aimed at expanding cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, energy, and transportation. The Iranian minister, for her part, emphasized her country’s interest in developing relations with Azerbaijan in all areas, and pointed to the strong historical, cultural, and religious ties between the two nations.

Sadegh is leading a high-level Iranian delegation to Azerbaijan from April 7 to 10 to review progress on past agreements, remove barriers to joint ventures, and lay the groundwork for an upcoming visit by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Baku.

The visit includes field inspections of joint border infrastructure projects and the unveiling and signing of the Farsi and Azerbaijani versions of the joint committee’s cooperation document, which was originally signed during a session held in Tehran in February after a three-year hiatus. Both versions will be appended to the English-language document.

Proposals for a new memorandum of understanding on transport and border cooperation are also being discussed, aimed at facilitating deeper collaboration ahead of Pezeshkian’s trip.

Amin Tarafo’, advisor to the minister and head of the ministry’s international affairs office, said the current trip is being made at the formal invitation of Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev. He emphasized that the talks will build on recent momentum in bilateral trade, which grew by 20% in 2024 to a record US$580 million. Iran aims to raise this figure to US$10 billion within five years.

Sadegh’s meetings are expected to clear the way for a more robust bilateral partnership, with both countries seeking to activate untapped capacities in trade and infrastructure development. In late January, the 16th meeting of the Iran-Azerbaijan Joint Economic Committee was held with the participation of Iran’s minister of transport and urban development and Azerbaijan’s deputy prime minister in Tehran. The second day of the meeting took place on January 22, with the presence of Farzaneh Sadegh, and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev.

The Iranian minister expressed her satisfaction with the renewed collaboration, stating, "After a hiatus of over three years due to various circumstances, I am pleased that we successfully convened the 16th session of the Joint Economic Committee in Tehran. I hope that by following up on agreements in transportation, customs, energy, oil, gas, electricity, water, banking, preferential trade, investment, and other areas, we can open new avenues of collaboration and witness further growth in bilateral trade relations."

She highlighted transit cooperation opportunities, stating: "While notable steps have been taken in recent years to enhance this aspect of our relations, the current capacity in road, rail, air, and maritime transportation between the two nations is far greater than what is currently utilized." Sadegh noted the necessity of resolving transit issues, proposing the establishment of a comprehensive transport committee and expert consultations to address these challenges. - Tehran Times