Tehran, Iran, Dec. 22
Trend:
The deputy for planning and investment at the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Nourollah Beiranvand discussed the results of the 29th meeting of Regional Planning Council (RPC) of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) that recently kicked off in Tehran.
"Iran has various relations with each individual neighbor who is an ECO member in the field of supplying services and transportation. It usually has separate agreement with each ECO member in cargo transportation and trade corridors," Beiranvand told Trend in an interview.
"In addition to this, Iran also cooperates with the Economic Cooperation Organization, for instance Iran is in negotiation with Azerbaijan over a separate agreement on Rasht-Astara railway project. Iran is also operating a railway project in Afghanistan," he added.
"Iran is cooperating with ECO, while the organization aims to establish cooperation among member countries," he said.
Representatives of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan attended the meeting last week to discuss different aspects of ECO activities, including the international transport corridors.
Referring to the five international transport corridors discussed in the meeting, he said, "Iran has planned five railway corridors. The current commercial corridors that are operating are the Sarakhs-Turkmenistan and Sarakhs-Bandar Abbas railway routes."
Beiranvand mentioned the recent funding situation of the Rasht-Astara railway project. "Iran is still negotiating with Azerbaijan over financing the project."
"The necessary studies and research have been done and Iran is waiting for resolving financial problems. Iran has completed the technical studies, but it [the Rasht-Astara railway] is a joint project with Azerbaijan and we wait for it to be finalized."
The official also elaborated on the agreement on landlocked ports among ECO countries. "The plans include linking landlocked ports through railways."