The foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey, Abbas Araghchi and Hakan Fidan, at a joint press conference in Tehran, Sunday, November 30, 2025. Credit: Iranian Foreign Ministry/ZUMA Press Wire / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
Iran and Turkey have agreed to start construction of a joint railway link that will serve as a strategic gateway between Asia and Europe, according to the announcement made on Sunday by the head of Iranian diplomacy, Abbas Araghchi, reports AFP.
The planned route, known in Iran as the Marand-Cheshmeh Soraya Rail Transit Line, will stretch for about 200 kilometers.
During a visit to China in November, Iran's Minister of Transport and Urban Development said, according to the Tehran Times, that the new route would link Iran's rail network with Turkey, creating a continuous corridor between China and Europe through Iranian territory on the southern section of what was once the Silk Road.
Iranian authorities have said the project will cost around $1.6 billion and is believed to take 3-4 years to complete.
Meeting of the foreign ministers of the two countries
On Sunday, in a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, Araghchi said “the need to remove barriers to trade and investment between the two countries was emphasized.”
“The two countries also emphasized the importance of the rail link (…) in the region and expressed the hope that the construction of this line can start as soon as possible,” he added.
The historic Silk Road was a vast system of trade routes that for centuries linked East Asia to the Middle East and Europe, facilitating the flow of goods, culture and knowledge.
In 2013, China announced the construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, known as the “New Silk Road”, a project that involves the construction of maritime, road and rail infrastructure to boost global trade.
Iran wants more trade with neighboring countries
Iran has sought to expand infrastructure and trade with neighboring countries as part of efforts to revitalize an economy battered by decades of international sanctions.
Iranian Transport Minister Farzaneh Sadegh also said during his visit to China that Iran has a unique position as the main gateway between East and West thanks to its geography, infrastructure and human capacity. By connecting Asian supply centers to European markets, she said, the corridor will support trade expansion, enhance regional competitiveness and contribute to economic development in all countries involved.
