Afghanistan-Iran Rail Trade Sees Unprecedented Surge
Iran’s Railway Authority has announced an unprecedented increase in trade transit volume between Afghanistan and Iran via the railway, establishing this route as a key channel for exchange between the two nations. Jabbar Ali Zakeri, the head of the authority, described the corridor as “golden” and stated that its transport capacity is expanding.
According to him, a portion of Iranian exports to Afghanistan transported by rail includes construction materials, steel, and iron. Additionally, petroleum products from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Russia are also transited through Iran to Afghanistan.
Based on the provided information, approximately 94,000 tons of goods were transported via the railway this month, with projections estimating an increase to 120,000 tons next month. Officials aim to raise the monthly transit volume to 200,000 tons within the next three to four months.
The head of Iran’s railways added that to achieve this goal, development work on the “Rozank” and “Rabāt Paryān” stations within Afghan territory has been initiated. An Iranian company has been entrusted with this project to further enhance cargo transit capacity along this route.
In recent years, the railway connecting Afghanistan and Iran has become one of the region’s vital transit corridors, and the surge in trade via this route could significantly impact Afghanistan’s trade dynamics and access to regional markets.
