A new bridge inaugurated between Iran and Azerbaijan
A new border crossing between Iran and Azerbaijan was inaugurated in the border district of Astara in the presence of Iranian and Azeri officials during a ceremony at the shared border on Saturday.
The Co-Chairmen of the Azerbaijan-Iran Joint Commission – Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev and Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran Mehrdad Bazrpash attended the inauguration ceremony of the bridge.
The local economic officials have said that the bridge plays a major role in reducing traffic jams at the shared border for traders and travellers.
The officials argue that the bridge also would play a major role in boosting bilateral border trade.
Accoridng to the official website of the Iranian road ministry, the bridge length is 89 m, width 30.6 m, and sidewalk width 2.5 m in 4 traffic lanes and is constructed with €5.8 million fund.
The bridge project is expected to boost trade and cooperation between the two neighboring countries and diversify transport between Iran and Azerbaijan.
Iran and Azerbaijan signed a MOU in January 2022 for cooperation in constructing the bridge over the Astarachay border bridge. The MOU was signed by Iran Deputy Minister, Kheirollah Khademi and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rahman Hummatov, in Baku.
In his visit to Ardabil, Bazrpash also inaugurated 6,600 urban and rural houses within the ‘National Housing Movement’ plan and visited the 175-km Miyaneh-Ardabil Railway which is currently under construction.
Including this inaugerated bridge, the MoU for the construction of Aghbend road bridge over Aras River was also formally kicked off in October 2023 during the visit of Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development to Azerbaijan and the MoU for a railroad bridge was also reached. The project is meant to form a new transit route, the Aras Corridor, in order to link the East Zangezur economic region of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Iran’s territory. The Corridor stretches from Aghbend to Jolfa and is important for Azerbaijan, Iran and the region as a whole.
