BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. Iran is interested in activating the southern direction of the 'Silk Road' route by rail, Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development and Executive Director of the Iran Railways Company Jabbar Ali Zakeri said at the 7th "New Silk Road" freight trade and logistics forum held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on September 30, Trend reports.
According to him, the restoration of the traditional Silk Road in the 21st century is due to China's Belt and Road initiative and the development of railway lines.
This initiative is important as a bridge between the East and the West, and railway corridors have a special role in this bridge.
Zakeri also said that China's railway routes connecting Europe are the Northern Corridor (Kazakhstan, Russia, and Belarus), the Middle Corridor (Kazakhstan, Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia), and the Southern Corridor (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Türkiye).
Since the start of work on these three routes, more than 102,000 container trains have moved between China and Europe.
In 2024 alone, more than 19,000 trains moved on these routes.
The deputy minister said that in recent years, the Middle Corridor has also seen remarkable growth, and the volume of cargo transported in this direction increased to 56,500 TEU containers, that is, 4.5 million tons last year.
Explaining the potential of the Southern Corridor passing through Iran, Zakeri added that Iran is ready to develop this corridor in cooperation with China and other countries located in this direction, and increase its share in railway exchanges between Asia and Europe.
He pointed out the importance of increasing solidarity between Railway Companies and Administrations in regional railway corridors, eliminating existing obstacles, and maximizing the potential of railway freight transportation in the direction of international trade.
Meanwhile, currently the length of railway lines in Iran is 14,984 kilometers. 993 locomotives, 29,950 freight wagons, and 2,178 passenger wagons are used on Iranian railway lines.
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