BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 21. Iran continues to prioritize the role of railways in freight and passenger transportation through joint commission meetings with all neighboring countries, said Farzaneh Sadegh, the country’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Trend reports.
Speaking at a signing ceremony held today in Tehran for memoranda of understanding (MoUs) related to the purchase and repair of passenger railcars, Sadegh noted that Iran is actively working to strengthen railway cooperation with neighboring countries, including Turkmenistan, Russia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. All such efforts are aimed at ensuring stable and ongoing investment in the railway sector.
Sadegh emphasized that using Iran’s railway network for freight and passenger services not only builds trust with neighboring countries and strengthens bilateral relations but also contributes to national development.
“All our neighbors recognize the cost-effectiveness of the Iranian route,” she said.
The Iranian minister also announced that by the end of the country's current railway development plan, which runs through the year 2029, 500 locomotives and 900 passenger wagons are expected to be added to Iran’s railway fleet. She stressed the need to boost cooperation with the private sector to accelerate this process.
To note, Iran Railways signed two MoUs with local companies on July 20 in Tehran to allocate 88.2 trillion rials (about $153 million) for the purchase of 130 new passenger wagons and the repair of 140 existing ones.
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