The West and its allies are actively spreading rumors about various aspects of Iranian-Russian cooperation in an attempt to damage the relationship between the two nations. They have waged an information and psychological war against Iran and Russia, according to Iran's Ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali.
“The West and its supporters do not accept the balanced nature of Russia-Iran relations. That's why they issue critical statements every day, spread rumors, and lie about Ukraine,” Jalali told IRNA. “Their approach emphasizes false problems, and we see daily that an information and psychological war has been launched against our countries' relations.”
The ambassador's comments were in response to rumors suggesting that Russia had halted its participation in the construction of the 162-kilometer Rasht-Astara railway section. Jalali dismissed this information as false, stressing that Russian authorities place significant importance on the project.
On May 17, 2023, Russia and Iran signed an agreement to jointly construct the Rasht-Astara railway. This project will connect the land segments of the International North-South Transport Corridor, boosting the economic efficiency of the trans-Caspian route. Moscow is providing Tehran with an interstate loan of €1.3 billion for the project, with the total construction cost estimated at €1.6 billion.
Russian officials believe the North-South Corridor could serve as an alternative to the Suez Canal, significantly reducing delivery times for goods. Tehran anticipates that construction on the railway will begin in 2025 and take three years to complete.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Federation Council
Based on TASS materials