North South Corridor project gives Tehran economic safety valve bypassing southern maritime closure

Gilan Governor in northern Iran, Hadi Haghshenas, announced that his country can now transport 30 million tons of exports and imports, equivalent to the total required basic commodities, across the Caspian Sea to Russia. Haghshenas stated that in light of the US naval blockade in the south threatening Iranian strategic ports, eyes have turned north. He added: "The Caspian Sea, which for years was considered a complementary route, has today become the safety valve for the country's economy." He continued: "At the forefront of these opportunities stands the International North-South Transport Corridor project. This 7,200-kilometer giant project connects India through Iran and Russia to Northern Europe." The United States imposes a strict blockade on southern Iranian ports, amid an almost total closure of the Strait of Hormuz by both Iranian and American sides, pushing Tehran to seek alternative trade routes to ensure its trade continues and avoid economic paralysis.