Copy in clipboard...
Iran can be Europe’s gateway via China’s railway route: Minister
Sadeq Malvajerd was quoted by IRNA as making the announcement to reporters on the sidelines of the 2nd China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum in Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
“Given the geopolitical and strategic position of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region, the reports presented and the meetings held in this forum will certainly be impactful,” she said.
“Considering the freight source in China, Iran can serve as a gateway to Europe and in this regard, initial negotiations for launching an electric train on the Sarakhs to Cheshmeh Soraya route have also been conducted.”
Pointing to the bilateral and multilateral meetings and visits to China's rail capacities on the sidelines of the summit, Sadeq Malvajerd added, "The important issue is that the rail structure in many countries has led to their development, and in our country, given the existing capacities both on the North-South route and the East-West transit route, the development of railway lines can certainly lead to the country's progress and development."
The minister of roads and urban development underlined that besides the route and rail, rolling stock is also very important, and there are shortages in the rolling stock sector, especially in locomotives, which must be addressed.
Sadeq Malvajerd expressed optimism that given the visits and discussions having taken place both in the field of railway line construction and rolling stock supply, effective steps can be taken to regulate the country's rail structure.
State media reports said in the first eight months of the Iranian calendar year (starting March 21), a total of more than 1,850,000 tons of various goods were exported by rail, which shows a growth of 550,000 tons, or 40%, compared to the same period last year.
The 2nd China-Europe Railway Express Cooperation Forum will be held on Tuesday in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China, with officials from countries along the route, as well as companies and railway stakeholders, in attendance.