Azerbaijan's transit opportunities could turn its roads into an alternative to the Suez Canal, Director General of the Transit and International Affairs Department of Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RMTO) Javad Hedayati told Trend News Agency on Thursday.
According to the official, Azerbaijan's roads and transport infrastructure are at an advanced level.
“Azerbaijan has invested in this and done great work. The Azerbaijani state has taken steps in this direction with a very clear and transparent strategy,” said Hedayati, adding that “the incident involving a ship in the Suez Canal last year and the long-term closure of the canal was a threat to international trade.”
Hedayati noted that after this incident, many countries began to search for a solution to this limitation.
Hedayati also pointed that Azerbaijan can connect Iran to Russia, the Caucasus and the Black Sea in the west of the Caspian Sea.
“In addition, this route, where Iran and Azerbaijan are located, can connect East Asia, China, South Korea and India, which have trade valued at several trillions of dollars with European countries,” he continued.
The director-general emphasized that Iran and Azerbaijan should make the most of this golden opportunity.
“Because if transit roads are not used in the next 2-3 years, this opportunity may not be easily obtained again. In this regard, it is important to activate the route between the two countries,” Hedayati concluded.
