TEHRAN, Iran, Dec.9
Trend:
The primary negotiations have been done between Iran and Afghanistan so that Iranian companies could complete the remaining railway route inside Afghanistan in form of barter with Afghanistan mineral items, said Iran's Minister of Road and Urban Development.
"The early negotiations have been done so we can connect railway from Rooznak station to Herat and from Herat to Mazarsharif so the Silk Road railway would be installed from this route and improve the economy of Afghanistan while Iran would also profit from it," said Mohammad Eslami, Trend reports citing Ministry of Road and Urban Development website.
"The following route would connect us to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China. Iran is also connected to India via Chabahar and Iranian and Afghan businessmen are using the route to export goods," Eslami said.
Eslami went on to say that Iran has signed an agreement with Russia and hopefully could participate in cargo transit via railway from north of Iran to India. Iran seeks to transit 50 million tons of cargo per year.
"Iran currently transits 10 million tons of cargo per year via road and railway. About 22 percent of the country's transit is done via railway and 78 percent via roads although ongoing pandemic has reduced transportations," he noted.
"The following railway route between Iran and Afghanistan would increase the volume of cargo transit and reduces the number of transporting trucks and traffic at Malik border while railway would have lower costs and could transit goods faster," he added.
"It has been predicted that Khaf- Herat railway would transport 3 million tons of cargo. The government has invested over 28 trillion rials (over $666.6 million) for the completion of the Khaf-Heart railway project which is due to be officially inaugurated on Thursday," he pointed out.
The 222-kilometers-long Khaf-Herat is part of the Iran-Afghanistan rail corridor and has four sections, the first and second sections are located in Iran while the third and fourth parts start from Shamtigh to Rooznak station and from Rooznak to Herat. Iran has completed its parts and Shamtigh border terminal.
According to Eslami, the inauguration ceremony will be attended by the presidents of the two countries as well as the transport ministers.
The Khaf-Herat railway construction was mainly implemented by Iran under a trilateral agreement between Iran, Afghanistan, and India.