Tehran, January 30: An Iranian official announces the country’s construction of a 51-km railway linking its southwestern city of Khorramshahr and the southern Iraqi city of Basra.
Iranian Railways’ Director General for International Affairs, Abbas Nazari, told Mehr news agency on Saturday that nearly 90 percent of the first phase of the project inside Iran (about 16 km) has been completed.
He noted that the Iranian officials are in talks with the Iraqis for constructing the remainder of the railway inside Iraq.
Nazari said the project will allow for improved travel routes and transportation of goods between Iraq and the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The line draws $110 million and will be carried out by Iranian companies. An important aspect of the project is crossing the Arvand water way.
Iran has allocated $1 billion for Iraq’s reconstruction. A portion of the amount is allotted to railway construction projects.
——Agencies