Mehr News Agency, Iran
April 7 2007

New Armenia-Iran railway to cost $1b

TEHRAN, April 7 (MNA) — The building of the new railway between
Armenia and Iran will cost $1 billion, Armenia’s acting Transport and
Communication Minister Andranik Manukian said, the Persian service of
ISNA news agency reported here on Saturday.

There is a strong desire to carry out the project, said the Armenian
official, adding, `We are trying to find an investor to complete the
project.’

At present, there exists a railroad between Iran and the former
Soviet republic but since it passes through the Nakhichevan – a
controversial area between Armenia and Azerbaijan Republic – it is
not currently in use, the minister added.

Economic experts believe that given the possible resolution of the
dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan Republic over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region, the building of the new railway would be
uneconomical.