In 1985, amid an important military operation by Iranians to deter the Iraqi aggression, the Ba'athist regime in Iraq destroyed the Arvand River supply bridges to stop an Iranian counter-attack. A bridge made of steel pipes by Iranian experts changed the playground during Operation Val-Fajr 8.
Iran, after 35 years, is engaged in a full-scale economic war with global arrogance, which includes unfair economic sanctions not only on Iranians but also on Iran’s economic allies in order to cut their financial and trade relations.
In today’s world, any country requires to have access to safe routes for the export, import and transit of commodities in order to stand against economic warfare.
The inauguration ceremony of the Khaf-Herat Railway on Thursday shows the victory of the patient nation of Iran, who could overcome the economic war imposed by the global arrogance despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
The construction of the railway started 13 years ago, but the project did not progress desirably until the government of President Hassan Rouhani accelerated the construction project.
The Khaf-Herat Railway, with a length of 225 km, was built by Iranian engineers and experts to connect Iran and Afghanistan for goods and passenger transportation.
***Border turning into Communication Bridge
Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his Twitter account on the eve of the inauguration ceremony: The significance of the Khaf-Herat Railway is not restricted to Iranians and Afghans, but it is important for the West Asia as well. The railroad is a gateway to boost trade and exchanges among people. The project would help develop stability and development in the region. The Building of bridges among nations is a priority for us.
Meanwhile, Commander of Khatam-al Anbiya Construction Headquarters Saeed Muhammad said the Khaf-Herat Railway project is a platform for the development of trade between Iran and Afghanistan, adding that the rising economy of Afghanistan provides neighboring nations and especially the Islamic Republic of Iran with substantial export opportunities.
Transport and Urban Development Deputy Minister Abbas Khatibi said that the railway is an important construction project in the eyes of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development to increase leap in production. He added, from the beginning of this Iranian calendar year (started on March 21, 2020), the Khaf-Herat Railway project was prioritized in order to boost the development of railway networks.
According to Khatibi, 300,000 passengers are going to be transported during the first year of the operation of the Khaf-Herat Railway.
Hussein Sanjarani, Governor of Khaf, a city near Afghanistan's Herat province, said that the operation of the Khaf-Herat Railway will play a significant role in the development of economic and cultural exchanges.
The operation of the Khaf-Herat Railway would create a brilliant horizon for the economic and cultural progress of Iran and the world, Sanjarani underlined.
Iranian Parliament lawmaker Akbar Ahmadpour pointed to the effects of the implementation of the Khaf-Herat Railway project, saying that the completion of the important railroad plan would decrease traffic accidents in Iran and Afghanistan, and help develop bilateral ties between the brotherly nations.
Khaf-Herat Railway, which revives the ancient Silk Road and connects China’s railroad to Iran through Afghanistan, supports the development in Afghanistan and the whole region. The development of the railway network would also assist the transit of goods from Central Asia to the Indian Ocean as well as the creation of an international corridor of east-west and north-south global trade.
1424
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