Governor of Astrakhan, southern Russia, Igor Yuryevich Babushkin has described Iran as a reliable and strategic partner for Russia.
Speaking in a meeting with Ahmad Heidarian, the Consul General of Iran, Babushkin said that the volume of trade between Astrakhan and Iran has been growing and that cooperation within the framework of the North-South Corridor is developing.
More than 70 companies with Iranian investment are operating in Astrakhan Oblast, including a branch of Mir Business Bank, he noted on Friday.
Referring to a 37% growth in cargo turnover through the ports of Astrakhan, reaching 6 million metric tons per year, he said that a significant portion of these shipments are destined for Iran or transit through Iran.
The total capacity of Astrakhan’s ports is 16 million metric tons per year, and Solyanka Port in which Iran is the major shareholder is one of the most important active ports, he stated.
He stressed the close relations between Astrakhan and the Gilan and Mazandaran provinces in Iran, as well as connections with the municipality of Rasht.
Iranian universities are members of the Association of Universities of Caspian littoral states, and the Persian language is taught at the School of Linguistics and Astrakhan State University, Babushkin said.
Elsewhere in his remarks, he underlined launch of direct flights between Rasht and Astrakhan
Meanwhile, Heidarian emphasized the development of the North-South Corridor.
He submitted the invitation for the first Caspian Sea littoral governors’ summit in Tehran.
The two sides emphasized the importance of economic, scientific, and cultural cooperation.
