A delegation of South Korean companies recently visited Iran to explore avenues of cooperation in the Iranian railroad project connecting the port and free economic zone of Chabahar to the city of Zahedan, both in southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province, said the deputy minister of industries, mining and trade, Ali Nourzad.
“The South Koreans have expressed interest in the project. They can enter into a joint venture with India for implementation of the railroad,” the official was quoted by the website of the Construction and Development of Transportation Infrastructures Company as saying on Saturday. Details of the Korean firms and the date of visit were not available.
Iran signed an agreement with India earlier this year for construction of the railroad. India’s state-owned IRCON has agreed to build a 500-km rail line from Chabahar to Zahedan at a cost of $1.6 billion as part of the transit corridor to Afghanistan.
IRCON’s MoU with Construction, Development of Transport and Infrastructure Company of Iran for building the line was among the dozen agreements signed when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tehran in May.
The agreement was signed by IRCON Managing Director Mohan Tiwari and President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Mohsen Pourseyyed-Aqaei, in the presence of President Hassan Rouhani and the Indian leader. Modi was the first Indian prime minister to visit Iran in 15 years.
After connecting Chabahar to Zahedan, the railroad will be linked to Zaranj in Afghanistan. Hence when Afghan cargo arrives in Zahedan, it can be transported by a 1,380-km railroad to Chabahar and then shipped to India.
