(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23. Iran intends to boost rail freight traffic with Uzbekistan to 2 million tons per year by 2026, Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development and Executive Director of the Railways Company of Iran Jabbar Ali Zakeri said at a meeting with the Head of Uzbekistan Railways Zufar Narzullayev in Tehran on September 22, Trend reports.

According to him, 476,000 tons of cargo were transported by rail between Iran and Uzbekistan during the first eight months of this year.

This cargo traffic is expected to reach one million tons by the end of the year.

Zakeri also said that considering that Uzbekistan is located on the East-West corridor, the joint determination of tariffs by Iran and Uzbekistan will increase the railway cooperation and cargo transportation volume of the two countries.

The deputy minister highlighted that the volume of Iranian products transited to Uzbekistan or from Uzbekistan to Iran has increased this year.

Currently, 1,300 loaded wagons are ready to be sent to Uzbekistan in the direction of the Sarakhs border.

“Joint meetings between the two countries will result in a growth in transit, export, import, and wagon exchanges between the two countries and neighboring countries,” he pointed out.

At the meeting, Narzullayev expressed satisfaction with the capabilities of the Sarakhs railway terminal and noted that Uzbekistan Railways is ready for Iranian freight wagons to enter Uzbekistan via Turkmenistan.

MENAFN23092025000187011040ID1110098135