Iran says buyout of land for Rasht-Astara railway completed, Russia expecting documents - Russian deputy PM

DUSHANBE. Oct 19 (Interfax) - Iran has notified the Russian side about the completion of the buyout of land for the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway section, Russia is now expecting documentary confirmation, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said after talks between Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mushustin and Iran's First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref.

"The negotiation participants exchanged opinions. In the first place, the status of implementation of our North-South project, the construction of the section of the future Rasht-Astara railway was discussed. The Iranian side assured us that the land plots have been bought. We expect documentary confirmation of the buyout," Overchuk told reporters.

"The work of the creation of this railway line is already being done by the Russian company," he said.

"Issues concerning cooperation in the sphere of energy, in the sphere of construction of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant were also discussed, issues concerning construction in the Caspian Sea and transportation in the Caspian Sea, primarily food transportation, were discussed," Overchuk said.