BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21. Iran has spent 15 trillion rials (approximately $8.3 million) to open a 21-kilometer section of the Ardabil-Sarcham highway in Ardabil Province in the country’s northwest.
According to the Ardabil Governor’s Office, Governor Masoud Emami Yeganeh announced the figure on October 14 at a ceremony marking the opening of the highway section.
Emami Yeganeh said efforts were underway to open 80 kilometers of roads in Ardabil Province by March 20, 2027, with funding secured and construction accelerated. The projects are expected to help address some of the province’s transport and infrastructure needs.
The governor added that the development of transport routes and road networks was one of the main priorities of Iran’s current government, which took office in August 2024.
"Construction is currently underway on 205 kilometers of highways in the province. Of this total, 92 kilometers are in the north, 70 kilometers in the south and 43 kilometers in the central part of the province," he said.
Furthermore, Emami Yeganeh noted that 73.5 trillion rials (around $40.6 million) had been allocated to develop road infrastructure in Ardabil Province.
According to Trend’s analysis of data from Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, the Ardabil-Sarcham highway is 178 kilometers long. A total of 74 kilometers have been opened to traffic so far. Work is underway to increase the length of the highway section available for use to 90 kilometers in the near future.
