Iran to start construction of Kajaran tunnel in Armenia in 2023 spring

Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan, who arrived today in Iran with an Armenian delegation, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan,  met with Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi.

YEREVAN, November 1. /ARKA/. Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan, who arrived today in Iran with an Armenian delegation, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, met with Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi.

In a Facebook post, Sanosyan said he and Rostam Ghasemi discussed a number of issues of bilateral interest.

"In particular, I emphasized the involvement of Iranian companies in construction projects in Armenia and in tenders announced by the government of Armenia. We also discussed the construction of the Kajaran Tunnel (it is part of Sisian-Kajaran road section of the North-South transport corridor). I also spoke about large-scale road construction projects underway in Armenia, which will enable to increase the volume of Iranian cargo transportation in the near future along these roads. We stressed the importance of cooperation in this area," Sanosyan wrote.

Iranian news agency ISNA reported that during the meeting it was decided that Iranian companies will begin construction of the 7.2-kilometer Kajaran Tunnel in Armenia in the spring of 2023.

"The North-South corridor from Norduz to Verzegan and Tabriz, will facilitate movement of goods and transit opportunities for Iran and Armenia. One of the peculiarities of this route is a significant reduction in the length and travel time," Ghasemi said after the meeting.

According to earlier estimates, the construction of the Sisian-Kajaran road with its auxiliary infrastructure will cost 487 billion drams (over $1 billion).

The goal of 556 km-long North-South Transport Corridor project is to upgrade Armenia’s main corridor road as part of a broader thrust to improve connectivity, and boost trade, growth and livelihood opportunities in the Caucasus and Central Asia sub-regions.

The transport corridor will stretch from the southern Armenian town of Meghri, on the border with Iran, to Bavra in the north on the border with Georgia. -0-