In a report on Wednesday, ISNA news agency cited a schedule released by the Iranian Ministry of Transport, which shows that the 634-kilometer railway between Chabahar port in the southeastern part of Iran and the city of Zahedan near the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, will be ready by the end of the current calendar year.
The report also cited a recent statement from Transport Minister Farzane Sadegu. The statement said Iran is determined to end the Chabahar Zahedan Railway project this calendar year.
Sadegh also said Iran hopes that the railway will expand to the city of Saraf on the northeastern border with Turkmenistan, further increasing the country’s capacity to handle freight transport.
Iran opened two sections of the Chabahar Zahedan Railway in 2022, linking Iran’s Sistan and Balchestan’s capital, Zahedan, with Kash, and located more than 150 kilometers southeast of Zahedan.
The construction division of Iran’s elite army is contracted to build the remaining six sections between Kash and Chabahar, via Nick Shahl and Iranshahar cities.
The Zahedan Chabahar Railway is part of a broader project to boost economic activity in poor regions of southeastern Iran and increase freight transport from the Indian Ocean to Afghanistan and other inland countries in Central Asia.
India, a partner in Iran’s development project at Chabahar port, once promised to contribute to the railway project, but withdrew citing fears of US sanctions on Iran.
MP/