The President said that one of the priorities of Iran's foreign policy is to play an effective role in increasing regional convergence through the expansion of trade through Iran, adding, "Iran has a unique position in the region’s strategic geography, and can be a trans-regional route connecting eastern and southern Asia to Europe”.
The presidents of Iran and Kazakhstan issued the order to start all-rail transit activity from the first container train from the Iranian corridor, which had arrived in Tehran from Kazakhstan the day before, to start moving from Iran to Turkey, during a video conference on Sunday afternoon.
Ayatollah Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi described the visit of the President of Kazakhstan to Tehran as a turning point and a big step in the development of relations between the two countries and said, "I also want to thank the officials of the Iranian and Kazakh railways for carrying out this joint and lasting work".
“The launch of this railway route can facilitate the expansion of economic and trade relations between Tehran and Astana and other countries that will be connected to this route in the future,” he said.
Saying that one of the priorities of Iran's foreign policy is to play an effective role in increasing regional convergence by expanding trade through Iran as a safe, low-cost and fast route, the President added, "Iran has a unique position in the strategic geography of the region and can be the trans-regional connection route from East and South Asia to Europe”.
Dr Raisi expressed satisfaction that today, with the plans of the Popular Administration of the Islamic Republic to expand and develop relations with neighbours and countries in the region, the first transit train of Kazakhstan from the East-West corridor through the Islamic Republic of Iran is working.
Pointing out that intercontinental transport companies have long been interested in the east-west, north and south corridors of the Islamic Republic of Iran route, the President said, "With the lifting of corona restrictions and the activation of international transport companies, this route has become especially important, especially for Asian and European countries”.
Ayatollah Raisi said that the reason for the interest of Asian and European countries in this corridor is cost-effectiveness, time-saving and secure route passing through the Islamic Republic of Iran, noting, "Iran has a serious interest in the field of rail transportation due to the upstream policies”.
The President said that meeting the needs and removing obstacles to rail transit as soon as possible is one of the priorities of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and all countries in the world can count on Iran, saying, "Iran's path is expanding day by day and in fact we are witnessing a more profitable window and path in the field of international trade and commerce”.
The President of Kazakhstan, Mr Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, described his country's cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran in launching the railway corridor and appreciated the efforts made in this direction, saying "I hope this project, as Mr Raisi stated, can be implemented paragraph by paragraph and in full”.