Russian president's aide in Iran for talks on North-South transportation link

Russia’s State Council Secretary Igor Levitin has launched a two-day visit to Tehran to discuss ways to bolster economic cooperation with high-ranking Iranian officials.

Levitin, who is a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is scheduled to hold talks with Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani on Sunday.

During his last trip to Iran in January, Levitin visited a railway project in northern Iran amid talks between the two countries to secure the funding needed to complete the key North-South transportation link.

Once completed, the Rasht-Astara railway will reduce the time needed to transport cargo from Helsinki in Finland via Russia to Iran’s southern ports on the Persian Gulf and on the Sea of Oman by 20 days.

Iran is seeking Russia’s financial support for the project which is estimated to cost 800 million euros, according to latest estimates by the Iranian government.

The project could also lead to a major increase in cargo transportation from Russia to the Indian Ocean.

SS