Iran and Turkmenistan Agree to Launch Passenger Train Service

TEHRAN (Iran News) Sadegh shared details of her visit, which included participation in the “Year of Peace and Trust” conference, a gathering focused on children’s rights and future prospects. The conference was held in Turkmenistan, with the presence of several ministers from various countries and the Deputy President of Turkmenistan. Sadegh highlighted that the conference coincided with Quds Day in Iran, underscoring the importance of children’s rights in all territories, including Gaza and Palestine.

Sadegh emphasized that children in Gaza and Palestine have the same rights as those in any other country, and this was a central theme of discussions during the conference. The Iranian minister reiterated the commitment to advocating for these rights globally.

In addition to her conference participation, Sadegh met with Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister and Minister of Transport to discuss bilateral cooperation. The discussions led to key agreements, including the organization of a joint economic commission meeting in Tehran within the next two months. This meeting aims to bring many of the discussed agreements to fruition.

Among the critical points discussed were the transfer of gas and electricity, the export of technical and engineering services, and the construction of the Atrak-Gomdag road, which will be undertaken by an Iranian contractor and will begin shortly.

One of the major agreements was the expansion of cargo transportation between the two nations. Currently, fewer than 200 wagons are exchanged via rail, but the new accord will boost this number to 400 wagons, facilitating a significant increase in trade and cargo movement.

Moreover, the ministers agreed on the launch of a trial passenger train service. Following a technical evaluation, a passenger train route will be established between Mashhad-Sarakhs in Iran and Merv in Turkmenistan, which will eventually extend to Uzbekistan. This development is expected to enhance connectivity in the region and foster stronger ties between the two countries.

Sadegh expressed her hope that the upcoming joint economic commission meeting would further strengthen Iran’s relations with Turkmenistan and other Central Asian nations, contributing to greater regional cooperation and economic growth.

Meanwhile in a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development announced the upcoming joint economic commission between the two countries, which will be hosted in Tehran in May. They discussed transportation cooperation and the export of technical-engineering services.

Sadegh also met with the daughter of Turkmenistan’s leader and Rashid Meredov, the country’s Foreign Minister. The two sides discussed transportation cooperation, as well as technical-engineering services and their export.

Discussions regarding electricity, gas, and energy with Turkmenistan were also among the topics exchanged by officials from both Iran and Turkmenistan.

Additionally, there are ongoing talks for further collaboration in transit corridors, as well as in the railway, road, and other transportation sectors in Turkmenistan.

It is worth mentioning that today, officials from both countries reviewed various areas of cooperation in all economic and commercial sectors. The schedule for the joint commission was also determined during this meeting.

According to the decisions made, the joint economic commission between Iran and Turkmenistan is scheduled to be held in the last week of May in Tehran. During this commission, the roadmap for transportation cooperation between the two countries, the roadmap for the development of technical and engineering cooperation, and the cooperation plan for energy will be discussed and agreed upon.

In these meetings, efforts will be made to sign new cooperation agreements in addition to the joint commission document on the specified areas of cooperation.