Minister says rail corridor projects gaining speed to link Asia to Europe
Iran’s transport minister said the pace of rail corridor development has accelerated significantly compared with previous years and could soon position the country as a key rail hub connecting Asian and regional countries to open waters and Europe.
Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadeq Malvajerd made the remarks while outlining the latest progress on rail corridor projects and their implementation status, IRNA reported.
“This process has gained remarkable momentum compared with past years and will soon turn Iran into one of the main rail axes linking many Asian and regional countries to open seas and Europe,” she said.
Referring to government policies on transport diplomacy and expanding regional cooperation, Sadeq Malvajerd said major rail projects across the country have recorded notable progress.
She said that along the Khash-Chabahar route in the southeastern Iran, only rail-laying on the 120-kilometer Iranshahr-Nikshahr section remains, adding that it will be completed by the end of the current year ending in March 2026. “This route is part of an important corridor that countries including India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Russia and China are seeking to connect to Iran’s national rail network,” she said.
Sadeq Malvajerd also said the Mianeh-Ardabil railway project in the northwestern Iran, which began more than two decades ago, will be put into operation by the end of the year.
“Final inspections of this route are underway, and once completed, it will be fully operational,” she said.
International projects
Turning to international rail projects, Sadeq Malvajerd said the Shalamcheh-Basra railway is being pursued with secured financing.
She added that consultations are ongoing for the Sarakhs-Cheshmeh Thari route, including the approximately 170-kilometer Tabriz–Marand–Cheshmeh Thari section, noting that with the selection of a contractor, the project will enter the execution phase within less than two years.
Sadeq Malvajerd said land acquisition for the Rasht-Astara railway route will be completed by the end of the year, and that with financing from Russia, construction is expected to begin over the next three years.
“This project is the missing link of the North-South corridor, stretching from India to Bandar Abbas, Rasht-Astara, Azerbaijan, Russia and Finland,” she said.
She added that more than 110 kilometers of land along the route have been acquired since last year and that efforts are underway to prepare the entire corridor by the end of the year.
“Iran, given its geographical position and strategic standing along both the North-South and East-West corridors, is the natural choice for neighboring countries seeking to expand transport cooperation,” Sadeq Malvajerd underlined.