ARMENIA-IRAN RAILWAYS

The Messenger
Jan 23 2009
Georgia

Armenia has prepared a feasibility study of the project to build
railways connecting Armenia with Iran.

The project proposed a line of 540 kilometres, of which 480 km will
be on Armenian territory. As Armenian Deputy Minister for Transport
and Communications Grant Beglarian has stated, if Armenia takes care
of its portion of the railways the other 60 kilometres will not be
difficult for Iran to take care of.

The Director of Iran Railways, Hassan Ziari, has expressed the
readiness of his company to participate in the project, highlighting
that it is the most important project in the country. He stressed
the importance to Iran of cooperating with neighbouring countries.

The Iran-Armenia railway project will cost around USD 2 billion and
should take around five years to fulfil. The Asian Development Bank
has expressed its readiness to participate in financing this project
and the World Bank has also highlighted its interest.

In March 2008 the Armenian and Iranian parties will sign a final
agreement. At present Armenia’s only railway connection with the rest
of the world is through Georgia.