Belarus in negotiations to ship products via Iranian ports

MINSK. Jan 29 (Interfax) - The Ministry of Transport and Communications of Belarus is working to ship the republic's products through the port infrastructure of Iran as part of the North-South International Transport Corridor, the Ministry'S press service said.

"Alexey Lyakhnovich (Minister of Transport and Communications of Belarus) met with Ambassador of Iran Alireza Sanei. At the negotiations, the parties discussed plans for the development of air transportation and the creation of the logistics necessary for the supply of Belarusian exports using the North-South International Transport Corridor," the report says.

The Belarusian transport minister noted the growth in positive interaction between Belarus and Iran in the field of transport in 2023.

"Last year, a protocol was signed in Tehran establishing a permit-free procedure for the international road transport of goods. (...) Currently, issues related to the shipping of Belarusian products through the port infrastructure of Iran are being discussed," Lyakhnovich said.

The North-South ITC is designed to ensure the transportation of goods between northwestern Europe and the countries of the Caspian Basin, the Persian Gulf, Central, South and Southeast Asia using Russian transport infrastructure.

The southern part of the ITC includes several rail routes: the western branch of the corridor is a direct railway connection via the Samur, Russia - Yalama, Azerbaijan border crossing and between the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus, with further access to the Iranian railway network via the Astara, Azerbaijan-Astara, Iran border crossing. There is also the Trans-Caspian route, which uses the Russian ports of the Caspian basin (Astrakhan, Olya, and Makhachkala) and the ports of Iran. The eastern branch of the corridor is a direct railway connection through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan with access to the Iranian railway network via the Sarahs, Turkmenistan - Sarahs Iran and Ak-Yayla, Turkmenistan - Inche Burun, Iran border crossings.