Speaking Monday morning in Sari during a meeting with the Governor-General of Mazandaran Province, Mehdi Younesi, and the head of Iran’s Railway Company, Akmamedov said the existing maritime and rail facilities in northern Iran — particularly Amirabad Port — make it possible to expand trade exchanges and cargo transit between Iran and Turkmenistan along the North–South Corridor.

He noted that Iran and Turkmenistan already enjoy strong economic and trade relations, adding that transport infrastructure, especially in northern Iran, provides a valuable opportunity to further expand these ties.

“During our trip to Iran, we plan to inspect transport infrastructure across several provinces in order to draft new strategies to increase economic exchanges between the two countries by making full use of these facilities,” he said.

The minister described Amirabad Port as one of the most important hubs for improving and upgrading trade exchanges and cargo transport between Iran and Turkmenistan, voicing hope that, with coordination from Iranian officials, use of transport infrastructure, including rail networks, would increase.

Amirabad Port is Iran’s largest port on the Caspian Sea. It is designed in three phases, but only the first phase has been fully completed as of 2023. The port is connected to Iran’s national railway system, with 15 berths and an annual capacity of 7.5 million tons, and forms part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

The main agenda of the Turkmen delegation includes inspecting northern Iran’s railway lines, reviewing border projects, and assessing existing capacities to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Akmamedov also toured on Sunday Tehran’s Aprin Dry Port, where he was briefed on investments made and the logistics activities underway at the facility.