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Pezeshkian calls for long-term focus on rail transport to boost transit role
“While pursuing the approved plans for expanding the country’s highway and road network, we should focus long-term on expanding the country’s rail transport,” Pezeshkian said during an unannounced visit to the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development in Tehran, according to IRNA.
He emphasized the importance of acquiring land with enough width to allow for future rail construction alongside major transit highways.
“For developing transit corridors through the country, the required land for the routes should be acquired with a width of one kilometer so that, if needed in the future, railways can be built alongside these transit highways,” he said.
The president also called for empowering local officials in corridor development projects.
“In implementing corridor projects, be sure to involve local authorities and assign responsibilities to them — this way we will face fewer problems during project execution,” he added.
Pezeshkian said Iran should aim to integrate regional transit routes to facilitate goods movement across Central Asia, saying it would bring many benefits and advantages for the country.
Citing the North-South Corridor, he said its development could transform regional logistics.
“If we can establish it, the transportation that can be created between Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Russia and Azerbaijan will make waves,” Pezeshkian said.
The North-South Corridor is a multi-modal transport route designed to connect Central Asia and Russia to India, the Persian Gulf and South Asia.
It runs through Iran, linking northern countries such as Russia and the Caucasus to southern Iranian ports like Bandar Abbas and Chabahar, before continuing by sea to India.
By integrating rail, road, and maritime links, the corridor is expected to reduce both time and cost of freight movement between northern and southern Eurasia, enhancing Iran’s strategic role in regional trade and transit.