TEHRAN (Iran News) – Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Tehran said that Iran has the highest level of transit roads and goods to and from Afghanistan than other neighboring countries.

Speaking to IP in the opening ceremony of Training Afghan Railway staff held at Road and Urban Development ministry, Abdolghafour Lival appreciated the Iranian ministry for hosting and training 32 Afghan railway staff.

“Iran has the highest level of transit of goods to and from Afghanistan as well as the most transit roads to the region’s countries, either through Turkey or through Chabahar and Bandar Abbas ports, “Lival said.

He expressed that with the rail connection of Chabahar port to Zahedan, southeast Iran, and the completion of the fourth piece of Khaf-Herat railway, the volume of goods transiting between Iran and Afghanistan will increase much more.

“Away from India, Iranian ports and railways like Chabahar can connect many countries to Afghanistan including China, Oman, and these facilities can expand the volume of trade of Afganistan and the neighboring countries,” Abdol Ghafour Lival.

Meanwhile, in the ceremony, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development said that the country’s priority is to extend its economic, transportation, and transit ties in various ways with regional counties more than ever.

Mohammad Eslami said, “Iran seeks to extend trade exchanges via railway infrastructure to connect East parts of the world to the West via active Silk Road.”

He highlighted that Iran’s current week’s meetings, phone calls, and signed memoranda of understanding with Turkey and Azerbaijan to extend its relations, saying that today Iran has kicked off a 52-day training course for Afghan young railway staff.

He pointed to the Khaf-Herat railway between Iran and Afghanistan and said it was for the first time that the goods were transported to Turkey via Khaf-Herat railway, and the minister noted.

The minister stressed with new development, extending railway infrastructure, and signing multi and bilateral memoranda of understanding, and the trading exchange would be increased.

“This year, Iran’s trading exchange via railway terminals has increased with Azerbaijan Republic (25%), Sarakhs (30%), and even Turkey, indicating that the coronavirus has not halted Iran’s trading with others,” he reminded.

Saeed Rasoli, Deputy Minister of Road and Urban Development, stated that Iran has close cooperation with the region’s railways.

At the opening ceremony of the training course for Afghan railway staff on Tuesday, Rasoli said that Iran and Afghanistan have long-lasting historical and cultural ties and are connecting via railway.

“It is also suggested by the International Union of Railways (UIC) that Iran develop the Afghanistan railway,” Rasoli underlined.

Deputy Minister of Road and Urban Development also announced that the regional countries like India and Iraq had asked the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways to train their railway staff.

“The 52-day training course aims to train the staff and develop the  Afghanistan railway”, he added.

He said Iran is trying to extend its railway connection in the region as soon as possible and said the Road and Urban Development Minister had written a letter to the Afghanistan government, asking them to extend railway cooperation.

During the Khaf-Herat railway inauguration ceremony, Afghanistan’s goods were sent to Turkey and Emirates, concluded Saeed Rasoli highlighted.

The 225-km Khaf-Herat railroad project can transfer six million tons of goods and one million passengers a year.