The head of Afghanistan’s railway department has visited the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad to coordinate efforts to complete the final section of the Khaf-Herat railway project.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Bakht-ur-Rahman Sharafat said the railway project is pivotal for both Afghanistan and Iran as it provide a vital connection to Europe and the Indian Ocean.
Iran and Afghanistan inaugurated their first joint railway network in December 2020 to link Khaf in northeastern Iran with the Afghan town of Rozanak. However, plans for extending the project to reach Herat, Afghanistan's third-largest city, were stalled following the collapse of the former US-backed government in Kabul.
Sharafat said the primary goal of his visit to Iran was to form a consortium aimed at completing the final section of the crucial railway line.
The Herat-Khaf railway, spanning 226 kilometers, connects Afghanistan to Iran's extensive railway network.
The railway line from Khaf to Rozanak in Herat Province has been successfully completed, with the remaining segment from Rozanak to Herat city currently being under construction.
The Khaf-Herat railway is also a key part of a 2,000-kilometer-long rail network that spans from China, passing through Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, and ultimately connecting with Europe.