On December 10, at a railway station in the town of Khaf, Iran, a train started operating at the opening ceremony of a new railway line connecting eastern Iran and western Afghanistan. Iran and Afghanistan have officially launched their first railway link, and the presidents of the two countries said that this achievement will help strengthen trade in the region.

The railway from Khaf in northeastern Iran to Rozanak in Herat province in western Afghanistan is 140 kilometers long. This railway is considered an important transportation hub for the landlocked country of Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, decades of war have hindered the development of infrastructure.

The connecting line will eventually be expanded by 85 kilometers to reach Herat, the third largest city in Afghanistan. The $75 million Khaf-Herat railway project started in 2007 with Iranian funding for construction on both sides of the border. , Tehran carried out construction on both sides of the border.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani delivered a speech via video conference. He said that this new railway line is "an important step in the economic recovery and development of the two countries."

Iranian President Hassan Rohani said: "This is one of the "historical days" in the relationship between the two countries. I see the prosperity of Iran and Afghanistan on this railway."

He added: "The development, security and stability of Afghanistan [help] the development, security and stability of Iran and the entire region."

At the ceremony, freight trains departed from both ends of the railway. A week ago, a train of cement was transported from Iran to Afghanistan by railway, and the railway project was started.

Officials say that once completed, the 225-kilometer link will help transport 6 million tons of cargo and 1 million passengers a year. Iran seeks to become a regional transportation hub, allowing Afghanistan and other landlocked countries in the region to ship goods to its ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.Editor/Huang Lijun