The Route to Russia through Armenia is More Beneficial than via Azerbaijan, Says Iranian Expert

To establish connections with Russia, Iran finds it more advantageous to use the route that passes through Armenia. This was stated by Sahand Shahbaz, Deputy Director for International Relations of the Trade and Industry Chamber of Tabriz, in an interview with Sputnik Armenia.

Earlier, it was reported that Yerevan plans to launch a trade and transport route involving Tehran and Delhi, with a tripartite meeting scheduled in Iran to address this issue soon.

Currently, Iran connects to Russia through Azerbaijan, while the route to the EU goes through Turkey. However, complications arise in both cases. Shahbaz noted that Iranian drivers face customs issues in Azerbaijan, which increases transport time, while the route through Turkey is costly, as goods first need to be transported to Black Sea ports before heading to Russia or the EU.

This is why the route through Armenia appears more advantageous for access to the Black Sea. However, to enhance its attractiveness, it is necessary to reduce tariffs and develop infrastructure. Although Armenia's northern roads have already been improved, the southern routes require modernization.

Shahbaz mentioned that Iranian companies are constructing a 32-kilometer section of the Agarak-Kajaran road, expected to be completed by 2028. The project includes the construction of 17 bridges, 2 tunnels, and 5 transport junctions. Once the work is completed, travel time from Yerevan to the Iranian border will be reduced by 2-3 hours, making the route even more appealing.

He also emphasized the stable freight transport through the Meghri-Norduz checkpoint, which sees more than 300 trucks passing daily. This route is a vital part of the “North-South” transport corridor connecting Iran and India. The port of Chabahar on the Sea of Oman plays an important role, and it is currently being modernized with the participation of India.

The trade and transport route passing through Armenia aims to reduce logistics costs by 25% and decrease the delivery time of goods from the Persian Gulf and India to the EU and EAEU from 40 days to 18 days. Armenia is set to become a key transit hub linking Europe with Iran and India, providing India with a shorter route to Black Sea ports and the EAEU market.