Iran and Russia discussing prospect of digging canal from Caspian Sea to Persian Gulf
Russia and Iran are reportedly discussing the prospect of building a canal running from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf.
This is according to Iran's Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei who referred to the proposal while speaking to students in St. Petersburg.
"Yes, this issue is being discussed," he said on Thursday to Russia's Tass news without elaborating.
Any canal connecting the Caspian to the Gulf would have to run through Iran.
If built such a canal would increase the speed with which Russia can conduct maritime trade, particularly with nations in the Indian Ocean since it would save it having to use the Suez Canal. One statistic cited by Iran's Tasnim news indicates that the 40 days it takes to ship goods from Mumbai, India to Moscow could be reduced to a mere 14.
This is according to Iran's Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei who referred to the proposal while speaking to students in St. Petersburg.
"Yes, this issue is being discussed," he said on Thursday to Russia's Tass news without elaborating.
Any canal connecting the Caspian to the Gulf would have to run through Iran.
If built such a canal would increase the speed with which Russia can conduct maritime trade, particularly with nations in the Indian Ocean since it would save it having to use the Suez Canal. One statistic cited by Iran's Tasnim news indicates that the 40 days it takes to ship goods from Mumbai, India to Moscow could be reduced to a mere 14.