Iran and China launched a two-way freight container train in a ceremony attended by the CEO of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways.
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In this ceremony, held in the dry rail port of Aprin, the first stage of the China-Iran-Europe rail corridor was put into operation.
Earlier, a new railway line connecting China and Iran was launched on 16 July, with the departure of the first Chinese transit train headed to Tehran from Shaanxi province in northwestern China. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been steadily expanding its trade routes with allied nations as part of a strategy to overcome unilateral Western sanctions.
Last year, Iran’s late president Ebrahim Raisi and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin signed an agreement to create the Rasht–Astara railway, expected to boost the INSTC by connecting South Asia to northern Europe and potentially “rivaling” the Suez Canal.
Iran's President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian recently confirmed he would continue on the path laid down by his predecessor. He said the Islamic Republic will continue prioritizing bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Russia and China, particularly within frameworks such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Eurasian Economic Union.
In this regard, Miad Salehi, head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways said: "We will launch into operation the first phase of the Iran-China-Europe corridor."
He added that from the beginning of the 13th government, there was an effort to expand foreign diplomacy, particularly in commercial relations.
Salehi went on to say: "The good reception of the customers shows that this route has fine security and speed and can be considered a full rail route connecting China, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan."
The East Corridor to Europe, that is, from China to Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Europe has been formed, and the contract with the railways and the equalization of the tariff has been signed.
Appreciating the development of rail transit, he said: "We have established good relations with neighboring countries, and this has established very good grounds for the development of trade and transit as well as the energy cooperation, and we are fully prepared to increase this cooperation."
