The new Afghanistan-Iran-Europe railway corridor has been successfully launched, the Iranian Embassy in Afghanistan announced, as reported by Eurasiatoday.ru.
The first batch of export goods from Afghanistan has already been sent along this route to Turkey and European countries.
The project's goal is to boost Afghanistan’s economy and expand trade relations with global markets.
According to Iranian authorities, the route passes through the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and connects to the international railway network.
This 4,200 km corridor starts in Herat, western Afghanistan, and passes through Mashhad, Tehran, and Tabriz in Iran, linking with the European railway network in Bulgaria via Turkey.
Notably, over the past three months, more than 35,000 tons of goods have been transported via the Khaf-Herat railway, with Afghan traders and manufacturers welcoming the convenience and speed of railway transportation, leading to increased use of this route.
The Khaf-Herat railway spans 225 km, with 140 km running through Afghanistan. Its capacity is 12 million tons of goods per year.
The main export goods include dried fruits, carpets, and minerals. The new route is expected to reduce logistics costs and speed up delivery times.
It is worth noting that this railway is of strategic importance not only for Afghanistan and Iran but also for Central Asian countries. It is becoming part of a promising railway corridor connecting China with Europe via Afghanistan and Iran.
Additionally, this project could become an important component of the North-South International Transport Corridor and strengthen economic cooperation between Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and Europe.
Experts emphasize that for the corridor to operate at full capacity, additional investments in infrastructure are required, particularly in Afghanistan, where the railway network remains limited.
According to Mehdi Bagheri, a transport and transit expert, this corridor will enhance regional stability and turn Iran into a Eurasian transit hub, further strengthening Iran’s role in regional and transregional geopolitical dynamics.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
March 31, 2025