“Iran`s trade volume with TRACECA has increased during past years”- mentioned by Mr. Amir Amini, Head of delegation and Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Any new route in TRACECA will motivate the authorities of existing routes to improve the services and productivity of infrastructure and facilities in a competitive environment.

Mr. Amini informed participants of the IGC Meeting on the developments of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of maritime, road and railway transport. Most important actions and programs are made to develop and modernize the Northern and Southern ports of country and their hinterlands. In particular, the trilateral agreement of transport and trade corridor of Iran, India and Afghanistan will increase the use of Chabahar Port in Southeastern Iran and provide access of India to Central Asia through Afghanistan. In this transit route, a multimodal transport will be used and special discount to transit goods will be provided.

The use of this port and investment in development of Port and railway and roads of its hinterland will follow benefits for TRACECA. In this context, Iran is ready for and interested in cooperation with TRACECA countries.

In his speech, Mr. Amini mentioned about privileged position of Anzali port in Northern Iran. In the near future and after the operation of Qazvin – Rasht – Anzali- Astara Railway, its prosperity will increase. The government of Iran has attracted foreign investment and private sector partnerships. Moreover, development of Amirabad Port in North of country is one of the most important ongoing projects. The port could be as a strategic port for TRACECA as it is provided by the most advanced equipment of loading and discharge of goods and also due to the access to the railway network of the country. This port is connected to the Iran- Turkmenistan- Kazakhstan railway and it facilitates transportation East to west and vice versa Caspian Sea via North of Iran.

Regarding the railway sector, Mr. Amini emphasized that extensive planning for next ten years has been done. Construction and operation of high speed and electric lines, wagons and locomotive modernization and increment with partnerships and investment from known countries are under way. Among the major projects are the projects of connectivity through China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iran will complete the missing railway links of connecting China and Persian Gulf and Europe via Iran route.

Mr. Amini added that in early 2016, after the stop of first China’s container train in Tehran station traveling fourteen days, Iran railway industry has taken a big step towards prosperity and progress. With more activities of the railway line Iran-Turkmenistan- Kazakhstan that jointly with a part of North- South Corridor, the travel time from Yiwu in Eastern China to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran will be reduced to eight days. 

It was also noted that three countries including Iran, Georgia and Azerbaijan has focused on setting up a new rail transit from the Persian Gulf to Europe. In a multimodal mode, the goods will be transported by railway and road from Persian Gulf to Azerbaijan via Iran, then by railway to Azerbaijanand thereon to Georgia, then it will be shipped from Batumi and Poti in Georgia to Black Sea and then Ports in Romania and Bulgaria and thereon to the rest of Europe. 

Considerable and planned measures are carried out within strengthening road transit including usage of the combined transportation models through the construction of logistics centers and dry ports, established system of roads management. Mr. Amini stressed that the establishment and expansion of activities of single - window and equipping road borders of neighboring countries with X-Ray and also smart customs procedures are among priority actions in the country.

Full speech of Mr. Amini are available for download here.