TEHRAN, Iran, October 28. The Iranian government is aiming to cooperate with neighboring countries in the field of transportation and transit, said an expert in transportation Mohammad Rajabi, Trend reports citing ISNA.
The recent ministerial meetings of Iran and Central Asian countries in Tehran show the importance of the government's goal to have joint transportation in the region, he said adding that it requires investment from public and private sectors.
Rajabi pointed out the government's 10 million tons annual railway transit target, underlining that the country currently transits 10 percent of the following figure via rail, and reaching the target needs the development of railway lines connected to neighboring countries.
The unfinished railway projects including Chabahar-Zahedan or Khorramshahr - Basra are important issues while construction of the Rasht-Astara railroad is on the government agenda, said the former head of Iran Railway Company (RAJA).
According to the official, the Iranian President's negotiations with neighboring countries would reach a result in the next two or three years.
Following the two-day transit meetings between Iran and Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, a transit cooperation communique was signed by the representatives of these six countries on Sunday in Tehran.
The Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development has told reporters that considering political conditions in regional countries transit could develop ties and trade. He further underlined that the issue of transit is a very serious issue for the administration under President Raisi, adding that Iran's policy is to facilitate transit with the countries that Iran witnessed cutting ties with them over the past years under the previous Iranian administration.
The Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Rostam Ghassemi has also acknowledged the development of transit cooperation during the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting.