Business
Iran to launch three new cross-border rail routes to boost regional connectivity
The new initiatives come amid a broader push by Iran to expand its international railway footprint as part of its regional connectivity and trade facilitation strategy.
Iran’s National Railway Company (RAJA) is preparing to launch three new international railway routes connecting the country to Turkey, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan, in a move designed to strengthen regional trade and passenger mobility.
Jabbar Ali Zakeri, CEO of RAJA and Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development, announced the initiative during an interview with Mehr News Agency, stating that the new rail links will bolster Iran’s role as a regional transport hub and support its broader economic and diplomatic outreach.
One of the main projects is a direct passenger rail service between Tehran and Ankara, Turkey, which will extend the current Tehran–Van route. Zakeri said discussions with Turkish authorities on operational and financial details — including ticket pricing — are underway, and the service is expected to be launched within the next two months.
Another strategic route will connect Tehran and Mashhad with Herat in western Afghanistan, marking a significant step in cross-border mobility between the two neighbors. Initial operations will reach Rozanak, just outside Herat, while a 70-kilometer rail segment—currently under construction by Iranian contractors—will eventually link the line directly to Herat city. Launch of the route is pending resolution of travel document protocols and cross-border coordination.
The third route will establish passenger rail service from Mashhad to Marv in Turkmenistan, with the long-term aim of integrating Iranian rail lines with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The move is seen as part of Iran’s strategy to deepen economic ties with Central Asia and position itself as a key transit corridor in the region.
The new initiatives come amid a broader push by Iran to expand its international railway footprint as part of its regional connectivity and trade facilitation strategy.
In May 2024, Iran and Afghanistan reopened the Khaf–Rozanak railway, a section of a larger project aimed at linking eastern Iran with western Afghanistan. Iranian officials have expressed interest in accelerating work on the Herat–Rozanak–Khaf corridor, which is considered critical for trade and transit to landlocked Afghanistan.
In addition, discussions are ongoing between Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey under the framework of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) to revitalize the Istanbul–Tehran–Islamabad (ITI) freight corridor. Test runs have resumed in recent years, though regular service still faces logistical and political hurdles.
Iran has also made progress on north-south connectivity, particularly through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which aims to connect India, Iran, and Russia via multimodal routes. The Rasht–Astara segment, which would complete Iran’s portion of the corridor, is currently under development with support from Russia.
The Chabahar–Zahedan railway, backed by Indian investment, is another high-priority project for Iran. Once completed, it will link the strategic port of Chabahar to Iran’s rail network and provide Afghanistan and Central Asia with direct sea access.
With sanctions continuing to limit air and banking sectors, Iran views regional rail as a relatively insulated and strategic lever for economic resilience, especially in its relationships with neighbors such as Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey.
These new rail corridors are expected to increase not only the movement of passengers, but also facilitate trade, tourism, and regional cooperation, reinforcing Iran’s vision of becoming a central node in Eurasian transit networks.
Business
Afghanistan invites Turkish investors to expand joint investments
Participants stressed the importance of increasing private sector cooperation and creating new opportunities to boost trade and investment between Afghanistan and Türkiye.
A high-level Afghan business delegation, led by the Chairman of the Balkh Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Mohammad Ibrahim Ghazanfar, participated in the Afghanistan–Türkiye Joint Business Council meeting in Istanbul, calling for expanded joint investment and stronger economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to a statement from the Balkh Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Ghazanfar invited Turkish investors and industrialists to explore investment opportunities across various sectors in Afghanistan, emphasizing the country’s potential for mutually beneficial partnerships.
The meeting brought together business leaders, investors, and private sector representatives from both Afghanistan and Türkiye to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties.
During the event, several cooperation agreements were signed between Afghan and Turkish economic institutions. The agreements are aimed at expanding commercial relations, promoting joint investment projects, and enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting was chaired by Süleyman Güllü, Chairman of the Türkiye–Afghanistan Joint Business Council, and was attended by Mohammad Akbar Azimi, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Consul General in Istanbul, along with a number of businessmen and investors from both countries.
Participants stressed the importance of increasing private sector cooperation and creating new opportunities to boost trade and investment between Afghanistan and Türkiye.
Business
Afghanistan chamber, India’s ASSOCHAM sign MoU to enhance trade and investment cooperation
The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral trade, investment, and business cooperation between India and Afghanistan.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi by Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General of ASSOCHAM, and Sayed Mohammad Karim Hashemi, Chairman of ACCI, during a meeting between business leaders from the two countries, ASSOCHAM said in a statement.
The Afghan delegation, led by Hashemi, held discussions with Nirmal Kumar Minda, President of ASSOCHAM, and other officials on ways to expand bilateral trade, investment flows, and private-sector cooperation.
According to ASSOCHAM, the MoU seeks to strengthen institutional collaboration, promote business-to-business linkages, and facilitate greater trade and investment opportunities between India and Afghanistan.
The organization said it remains committed to fostering stronger economic ties and creating new avenues of cooperation between the business communities of both countries.
Business
Kazakhstan signs $18.8 million zinc ore supply agreement with Afghan company
Kazakhstan has signed a major zinc ore supply agreement with an Afghan company as the two countries continue to expand economic cooperation and trade ties.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Trade and Integration, the contract was signed between Kazakhstan’s ShalkiyaZinc and Afghanistan’s Afghan German Bakhtar Company during the opening of the Kazakhstan Trade House in Kabul.
The signing took place as part of an official business mission led by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy, Serik Zhumangarin.
Under the agreement, Afghan German Bakhtar Company will supply approximately 30,000 tons of zinc ore annually on DAP (Delivered at Place) terms. The ore will be used as raw material for the production facilities of Kazakhstan’s Kazzinc. The total value of the contract is estimated at $18.88 million.
The deal marks a significant step in diversifying trade relations between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan, moving beyond traditional agricultural exports into the mining and industrial sectors.
“Afghanistan today is a market of opportunities,” said Kanat Kudaibergen, Chairman of the Board of GWM Capital LTD. He noted that while Kazakhstan’s exports to Afghanistan have historically consisted mainly of flour, grain, sunflower oil, and other agricultural products, demand is increasingly growing for machinery, equipment, and service solutions in agriculture, construction, and mining.
Kudaibergen expressed confidence that the newly established Trade House in Kabul would serve as an important platform for developing new business projects and expanding Kazakhstan’s non-resource exports.
The agreement follows recent discussions between Kazakh officials and Afghanistan’s leadership, including Prime Minister Mohammad Hasan Akhund and Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, during which Kazakhstan expressed interest in sourcing zinc ore from Afghanistan.
Preparations for the deal began last year when specialists from Tau-Ken Samruk visited Afghanistan’s Bamyan province to assess the Pami-Kakrak zinc deposit. Samples collected during the visit were later analyzed by Kazzinc, which confirmed the feasibility of processing the ore at Kazakh facilities.
Economic relations between the two countries have been steadily strengthening. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy reported that bilateral trade reached $541.8 million in 2025. Both governments have set an ambitious target of increasing annual trade turnover to $3 billion in the coming years.
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