On November 24, during meetings held in Baku, Rovshan Rustamov, the Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), discussed enhanced cooperation with Jabbar Ali Zakeri, the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI), and with Kaido Zimmermann, the Chairman of the Board and General Director of Estonian Railways (AS Eesti Raudtee).

In the discussions with Zakeri, the sides addressed bilateral cooperation, focusing on the development of the Astara Terminal and the expansion of trilateral coordination among Azerbaijan, Russia, and Iran. It was noted that ongoing work along the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) continued to strengthen Azerbaijan’s role as a key transit artery for regional trade. Rustamov announced that construction of the Astara Terminal on Iranian territory, carried out by ADY, was expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 2026.

In a separate meeting with Zimmermann, opportunities for closer cooperation between ADY and Estonian Railways were discussed, particularly to increase cargo flows from China to Europe via international corridors passing through Azerbaijan. Rustamov emphasized that Estonia’s experience in digital solutions and smart logistics created additional opportunities for joint initiatives, while Azerbaijan’s strategic position along the Middle Corridor provided efficient access to Central Asia and China for Estonia and the wider Baltic region. It was highlighted that Azerbaijan had taken significant steps to further develop the Middle Corridor, including increasing the cargo capacity of the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway line to 5 million tons annually.