Iran, Azerbaijan agree to open transit passage at border

TEHRAN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Azerbaijan have agreed to open a new transit passage at their shared border in the near future, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported Friday.

In a phone call with Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash discussed the latest developments in bilateral relations, especially in the economic, transportation and energy sectors, the report said.

The two sides said they would attend the transit passage's inauguration ceremony at the Astara border crossing in northern Iran, IRNA added, without specifying the date.

The Azerbaijani deputy prime minister said rail transportation of commodities between the two countries grew by 47 percent year-on-year in 2023, surpassing more than 700,000 tons for the time.

Mustafayev added that transportation between the two countries rose by 40 percent from last year.

According to IRNA, the two sides also stressed the need to accelerate finalizing joint projects, including building dams.