Tehran, May 6, 2024 (MRUD NEWS)—Following the disruption of the Afghanistan-Turkey cargo train through Iran's territory due to the mismanagement of the Afghanistan Railway Development Consortium regarding the completion of the customs formalities, Afghanistan's export cargo to Turkey was transported on May 2 to the Razi Border by the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways and Iran's border guards.

Also, the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced its readiness to transport the second train of commercial cargo after the completion of customs and border procedures and obtaining necessary permits from the relevant authorities by the cargo owners and the forwarder company.

Following previous reports, unfortunately Afghanistan Rail Development Consortium, without passing the legal procedures, including obtaining permits from the border guard and customs, as well as the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, had sent several wagons with commercial cargo to the border of Shamtigh and then left these 10 wagons in Shamtigh Border and tried to use media pressure and resorting to some false claims to pass this cargo through the railway of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Despite the immaturity and dishonesty of the Afghanistan Consortium, the Railway of the Islamic Republic of Iran, considering the national interests and with good faith, started transporting the first part of the commercial cargo on Thursday, and this cargo was delivered passed through Tehran on Saturday to the Razi Border in the northwest of Iran.  

The Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes that the establishment of a permanent line of commercial rail transit from Afghanistan to Iran requires the necessary adjustments on the Afghan railway lines to reach the required standards, as well as necessary administrative procedures and legal formalities, including obtaining the relevant permits from the border guard and customs by the forwarders.

The Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in line with the policy of the 13th government of Iran for developing relations with its neighboring countries, while re-emphasizing its tendency to expand rail transport of Afghanistan's commercial cargo in the form of export, import or transit, expressed its readiness to help rehabilitate and reconstruct the relevant lines and to accelerate rail commercial transit between Iran and Afghanistan.