Iran, Iraq Agree to Complete Shalamcheh-Basra Railway Project
(MENAFN) Iran's Transport Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash and his Iraqi counterpart Razak Muhibis Al-Saadawi met in Tehran to discuss the completion of the Shalamcheh-Basra railway project. During the meeting, they made an agreement on the construction of a 32-kilometer railway with a movable bridge on it. The two sides decided that the Republic of Iraq would hand over the land to the Iranian side as soon as possible, at the latest by the end of the holy month of Ramadan, which is in the next two weeks. Additionally, the construction of infrastructure, pavement, and buildings required for the route would be carried out by the Iraqi Republic Railways Company.
The connection of the railway from Iran's southwestern Shalamcheh town to Basra city in Iraq has been a long-standing issue pursued by the governments of the two countries. The project has been faced with several problems over the years, but the current governments of Iran and Iraq seem more serious about completing the railroad, which will be a strategic event in the West Asia region.
The Shalamcheh-Basra railway project has been in the works for over a decade. In 2011-2012, Iran and Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for its construction, but it was not implemented. In 2013, another MOU was signed between Tehran and Baghdad, under which Iran would design and build a bridge over Arvand River, and Iraq would build the 32-kilometer railway from the Shalamcheh border to the Basra railway station on Iraqi soil. However, the project was halted due to economic problems and a shortage of funds in Iraq, as well as legal issues in granting land to Iran for the railway.
The recent agreement between the transport ministers of Iran and Iraq is a positive development for the completion of the Shalamcheh-Basra railway project. Once completed, the railway will facilitate trade and transportation between the two countries and the wider region. It will also provide an alternative route for Iranian goods to reach the international market, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, which is a vital shipping lane that Iran has threatened to close in the past. The successful completion of the Shalamcheh-Basra railway project will have significant economic and strategic benefits for both Iran and Iraq.
MENAFN09042023000045014228ID1105966924
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.