Rouhani: Railroad to Boost Iran, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan’s Global Market Share
INCHE BOROUN (Tasnim) – The Iranian president commended a strategic railroad, which officially became operational on Wednesday and links Iran with Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and said the railroad will largely increase the three countries’ share in the global market.
“The completion of the railroad project, which was inaugurated today, will rise the share of our countries in the global market in future,” Hassan Rouhani said, addressing a ceremony to inaugurate the railroad attended by the presidents of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and Nursultan Nazarbayev.
“The railroad connection marks a happy day not only for the three countries but also for regional nations as well as those countries who can use the railroad directly or indirectly,” Rouhani said.
President Rouhani further underlined the importance of connection networks which link the member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) to the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and said the move will pave the way for the transfer of energy and oil swaps.
"Therefore" he said "today is a happy day for the regional states and a starting point for closer relations."
He also emphasized that Iran is ready to increase the capacity of the railroad and link it with other countries.
“We will connect the railroad to the Sea of Oman in the coming years,” the Iranian president said.
Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan railroad, with a length of 920 kilometers, begins from the city of Zhanaozen in Kazakhstan and ends in the Iranian city of Gorgan in Golestan province.
Some 85 kilometers of the route, known as the railroad North-South Corridor, lie on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s soil, 700 km in Turkmenistan and 120 km in Kazakhstan.
The railroad links the Central Asian countries to the Persian Gulf waters, facilitates cargo shipment in the region and shortens the North-South corridor some 600 kilometers.
Experts believe the transportation route indicates that anti-Iran sanctions have had no bearing on the regional nations’ enthusiasm for taking the opportunity to cooperate with Tehran.
