Iran and China sign deal to electrify east–west railway

Iran has signed a contract with a Chinese firm to electrify a key east-west railway line to boost freight transport across the country. This is reported by Mehr News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS.

The nearly 1,000-kilometre route will run from Sarakhs on the northeastern border to Razi on the western border. According to Jabbar Ali Zakeri, a representative of Iran's railway sector, the project also involves double-tracking in certain sections and aims to triple freight capacity on the corridor to 15 million tonnes annually.

The announcement was made following a meeting in Beijing between Zakeri and Guo Zhuxue, a representative of China's railway industry. Zhuxue reaffirmed China's commitment to Iran as a key partner in the Belt and Road Initiative. He emphasised China's interest in increasing container cargo transit through the Iranian rail network.

Iranian railways have played a growing role in facilitating east-west and north-south cargo transit between countries such as China, Russia and India, according to the media outlet. This push to expand rail and road links forms part of Iran’s broader strategy to diversify its economy and reduce dependence on oil and gas exports.