Iran and China launched freight trains travelling between the two countries as part of the China-Iran-Europe rail corridor, IRNA reported on July 21.

Iran launched its first freight train to China on July 21 using the new railway. The Iranian train will pass through the neighbouring countries of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan on its way to China.

The inauguration ceremony took place at the Aprin railway station, marking the start of the first phase of the China-Iran-Europe rail corridor. Officials from China, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan attended the ceremony.

A China-Iran train carrying car parts also began its journey to Iran on July 16 and is expected to arrive in Iran’s Incheh Borun City in Golestan Province within two days, as confirmed by the CEO of the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Miad Salehi, on July 21.

“We initiated the East-West Corridor experience today, facilitating the transportation of goods from China and Iran through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan,” Salehi stated during the ceremony on July 21.

According to him, this train route would be crucial infrastructure for boosting trade between Iran and China, making Iran a secure gateway for China to access Europe and vice versa.

Morteza Jafari, an official with the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran, disclosed plans for the train to operate twice a week in both directions in the initial phase.

According to Jafari, the train takes almost half the time of sea transportation and has competitive tariffs.

Iran and China traded $5.89bn worth of goods (down 7.9%) during the initial five months of 2024, with Iranian exports at $1.79bn (down 5%) and Chinese exports at $4.1bn (down 9.1%), according to the latest data released by China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC).

Experts argue that Iran should enhance its transit sector because of its strategic geographical location and potential to become a regional transit hub. They suggest that Iran should optimise its transit capabilities by integrating rail transportation with land and sea transportation to improve its overall position.

The potential construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway also presents opportunities for Turkmenistan and Iran to bolster their roles in East-West cargo transit, offering one of the shortest routes between China and Europe.

Iran has expanded its trade routes with allied countries in recent years to counter unilateral western sanctions, particularly by utilising the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Iran and Russia’s agreement to establish the Rasht-Astara railway is expected to strengthen the INSTC by linking South Asia to northern Europe, serving as an alternative to the Suez Canal.

In June, Iran officially inaugurated the Rasht-Caspian railway as part of the INSTC.

Iranian President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian recently stated that his administration will maintain a strong focus on fostering bilateral and multilateral partnerships with Russia and China, particularly within frameworks like BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), ISNA reported.