Türkiye and Iran are aiming for a total rail freight turnover of one million tonnes between the two countries in 2025. Such a goal was set at a recent meeting of the Turkish transport ministry with Iranian counterparts. Their ambitions may seem like a positive sign for rail freight growth, were it not that the two countries set the same target already in 2021.
Rail was not the only modality that was a topic of discussion during the meeting between the two delegations, but it was the one for which Türkiye and Iran came to the most tangible agreement. According to Turkish transport minister Uraloğlu, the volume of rail freight between the two countries should grow to one million tonnes in 2025.
However, that target is nothing new. Already in 2021, the two countries agreed to grow their freight exchange to one million tonnes annually. That would have been nearly twice as much as in 2020, when 564,000 tonnes of rail freight crossed their borders.
Breakthrough year 2025?
At the time, there was reason to believe that a growth in rail freight volumes was in the cards. An Iranian – Afghan railway had just opened, and plans were in the works for a direct connection between Pakistan and Türkiye as well.
It now seems that the optimism at the time was premature. The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, as well as political tensions around Iran are likely culprits in hindering rail freight growth on those routes. With the continuing uncertainty surrounding Iran’s political situation, it seems unlikely that 2025 will be a breakthrough year in Turkish – Iranian rail freight.