On November 30, 2025, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghzi announced that Iran and Türkiye had reached an agreement to build a new railway to build a strategic transport corridor connecting Asia and Europe.

This planned line is called Maland Cheshmehsala railway line, which starts from the northwest of Iran and connects with the railway in Alak region of Türkiye, with a total length of about 200 kilometers. The Iranian government estimates that the project will cost approximately $1.6 billion and take 3 to 4 years to complete.

On November 29, Araghzi held a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Fedan of Türkiye who was visiting Iran, saying that both countries stressed the importance of eliminating trade and investment barriers. Both foreign ministers are optimistic about the recent commencement of railway projects and emphasized the significant importance of the railway for regional development.

Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Sadiq recently stated that he will make every effort to promote the construction of this railway section. The completion of this project means that the southern line of the ancient Silk Road will become a full railway corridor, "ensuring the continuity and smoothness of the China Europe railway network". Sadiq also said that this infrastructure can achieve "efficient and low-cost transportation of various goods, with very few intermediate stops".

Türkiye's media said that the railway line will provide an alternative land route for cargo transportation between Asia and Europe, reducing dependence on longer sea routes or other transnational land corridors. Iranian economist Madani told the Iranian Student News Agency that the above railway project is intended to make up for the defects of the current Iranian Türkiye railway transportation. Due to the geographical obstacles of Van Lake in Türkiye, the original goods need to cross Van Lake by ferry after entering Türkiye, but the new line can avoid this problem.

The railway project aims to modernize the railway sections in the southern part of the ancient Silk Road, and is regarded as an important hub in line with the "the Belt and Road" initiative proposed by China in 2013. Key words: the Belt and Road key projects, the Belt and Road latest information

Madani said that Iran had once become a hub of communication between the East and the West by virtue of its geographical advantages. Now China's initiative to jointly build the "the Belt and Road" is promoting the revival of the ancient Silk Road, providing a historical opportunity for Iran to reappear its ancient role as a "crossroads of civilization". The Turkish government also regards the railway integration project between Türkiye and Iran as an important means to strengthen its "middle corridor" plan, a transportation route connecting China and Europe, and passing through Central Asia, the Caspian Sea region and Türkiye.Editor/Yang Meiling