Construction of Shalamcheh-Basra railway kicks off

Razak Muhibis Al-Saadawi, Iraq Minister of Transport, at the head of a delegation visited Iran Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Mehrdad Bazrpash, and his deputies today in Tehran, in order to confer on mutual transport ties, particularly the implementation of Shalamcheh-Basra Railway.

Iran and Iraq's top officials signed the agreement for Shalamcheh-Basra Railway on 26 December 2021. However, after the agreement, there were a number of problems with construction in the territory of Iraq including demining of land in Iraq, land acquisition along the project, and also the construction of a bridge over the Shatt al-Arab (Arvand River). Nevertheless, the determination of the two countries led to proper arrangements for implementation particularly during the Iran-Iraq Joint Economic Commission in so far as Iraq has already predicted this project in its 2023 budget.

Now, in this meeting, the two sides agreed on undertaking mine clearance by Iran, the construction of a 32 km railway including stations and buildings by Iraq, and the construction of about a one-kilometer vertical-lift bridge over the Shatt al-Arab by Iranian companies. The duration of the project is expected to be 18 months.

Further in the meeting, the two sides also discussed other transport agendas in their road transit, air and maritime relations.

Shalamcheh-Basra Railway marks a historical link as negotiations for a 32 km railway between Iran and Iraq had been ongoing for about the last 20 years.