Astara to Ulyanovsk: First Commercial Ship Set to Sail
According to the Economic Desk of Webangah News Agency, Ruslan Gainaldinov, advisor to the Governor and head of the regional organization for entrepreneurship support of Ulyanovsk province, met with Elahyar Mesbahi, Deputy Economic Governor of Gilan, on Monday, December 8, 2025. Gainaldinov stated that Gilan is a strategic route for the entry and exit of Russian goods and expressed readiness to cooperate with Gilan in various sectors including logistics, rail transport, and maritime transport. He noted interest in products that can be sent from Iran, such as petroleum products, methyl ethyl glycol, specialty resins, and construction materials.
Gainaldinov added that Gilan could be used for the transit of Russian goods to India, although efforts to fully activate this two-way route have not yet been successful, with 90% of cargo capacity from Iran to Russia currently unused. He suggested focusing on the Astara and Anzali border terminals and economic zones for trade exchanges with merchants based in western Russia, northern and European regions, and the middle Volga region. He requested assistance from Gilan province officials to expand cooperation and strengthen communication.
He further mentioned plans to meet with business people in Astara and Anzali who can send their products to Russia and Ulyanovsk province, noting that the public sector can greatly assist in transportation and trade.
The advisor to the Governor also noted that the Governor of Gilan is currently attending an economic conference in Moscow, which he was also scheduled to address, but considered his visit to Gilan more important.
Gainaldinov highlighted the progress in rail connectivity, with the railway line currently extending to Astara and the Governor of Ulyanovsk personally overseeing its completion in Iran.
He also mentioned that Ulyanovsk province offers various services to businesses and traders from Gilan and Iran, including a designated area for Iranian goods, and expressed readiness to cooperate and support any Iranian representative wishing to participate.
Gainaldinov proposed planning a cultural program in Ulyanovsk province centered around Gilani cuisine, given Rasht’s designation as a creative city of food.
He expressed interest in meeting with representatives from companies in the livestock, grain, and flour sectors during upcoming visits to Anzali and the Caspian Port.
The head of the regional organization for entrepreneurship support of Ulyanovsk province stated that the aim of the visit is to assess Gilan’s capacities to potentially establish a regional hub for their products in the province. Plans are underway to review the transportation channels between Gilan and Ulyanovsk provinces, with the first ship scheduled to load and depart from Astara to Ulyanovsk soon.
He acknowledged Gilan’s vital importance and expressed gratitude for the support from the Governor and Deputy Governor of Gilan for trade between the two countries. He emphasized that the departure of the first ship from Astara to Ulyanovsk could lay the foundation for significant future steps in transit and transportation.
Referring to Gilan’s initiative in holding the first meeting of governors of Caspian coastal provinces, he announced plans to organize an economic conference between Iran and Ulyanovsk soon and extended invitations to the Governor and Deputy Governors of Gilan to participate, expressing hope that such events would be effective steps in strengthening trade between the two provinces.
He highlighted Ulyanovsk’s diverse commodity groups in both agriculture and industry, including grains and oil in the agricultural sector and aviation and automobile manufacturing in the industrial sector. He noted that there are substantial opportunities for trade with Iran in these sectors, citing recent agreements to export automobiles to Iran, with permits currently being processed.
Gainaldinov noted that Ulyanovsk has demand for various commodity groups from Iran, including food products, petrochemicals, oil and gas, plastics, and products from the northern provinces of Iran, such as tea, rice, and citrus fruits.
Ulyanovsk province is a key part of the Volga Middle-Caspian Sea-Persian Gulf transit and logistics project. The project aims to establish rail and sea routes within the North-South Corridor. The rail route will connect Ulyanovsk-Astara and the sea route will connect Ulyanovsk-Caspian Sea. The project will reduce transit times, diversify export routes and boost Iran’s regional economy.
