During the XIX International Conference on Railway Transport, three cooperation agreements were signed concerning the construction of solar power plants on railway territories, the supply of 36 fully battery-powered locomotives, and the restoration of 24 non-operational locomotives. The ceremony took place in the presence of the Minister of Transport and Urban Development, as well as several officials and representatives of the railway industry.
According to IRNA, these tripartite investment and partnership memoranda were concluded between the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran and various institutions, companies, and groups involved in technology and renewable energy. The main areas of these agreements include the development of clean energy, attracting private investment, updating rolling stock, and increasing locomotive operational capacity.
The first memorandum was signed between the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA). The goal of this agreement is to create conditions for the private sector to participate in the construction of solar power plants on non-operational sections of railway stations.
The second agreement was signed between the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Niruafarin Aras Energy. It provides for investment, the supply, and operation of 36 fully battery-powered locomotives for freight and passenger transport. Representatives from both Iranian and foreign consortia attended the ceremony.
The third memorandum was concluded between the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran and an investment and technology group including Sadid Fam and Rezvan Power Electronics Industries. The subject of this agreement is investing in the restoration of 24 locomotives that were previously out of service and returning them to the operational cycle.
The Minister of Transport and Urban Development emphasized the need to complete railway corridors and connect ports with production centers via the national network. She noted that developing logistics infrastructure and strengthening regional cooperation are strategic priorities for the country's transport sector.
According to IRNA, Farjane Sadeghi stated at the conference that the development of this sector, in addition to reducing economic costs and energy consumption, contributes to increasing productivity, improving safety, and strengthening national resilience. Therefore, it occupies a central place in the policy, planning, and actions of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
Highlighting the importance of rail transport in crisis conditions, she added that the continuity of transporting vital goods, raw materials for production, and strategic cargo, as well as passenger transport, is necessary to maintain the life and economic cycle in the country.
The Minister also commented on the damage inflicted on railway infrastructure during the war, noting that the damage to seven railway bridges demonstrates the close connection of this infrastructure to the country's resilience and internal connectivity.
Sadeghi continued to speak about the importance of connecting Iran's railway network with neighboring countries, stating that the network must support the country's supply chain through reliable infrastructure, a ready fleet, and qualified personnel. Achieving this goal requires simultaneous attention to fleet development and modernization, infrastructure maintenance, eliminating network bottlenecks, and increasing operational productivity.
The Minister of Transport and Urban Development highlighted Iran's potential in international transport, stating that the country's position at the crossroads of regional routes can bring stable income in foreign currency and economic prosperity if Iran can provide competitive, regular, and reliable services that allow cargo owners to confidently choose the time, cost, and quality of transportation through Iran.
To achieve this goal, she said, the completion of railway corridors, active transport diplomacy, simplification of border procedures, tariff coordination, and the development of regular services are necessary. Of particular importance is the effective connection of ports, production centers, and logistics terminals to the railway network, with private transport and logistics companies acting as the country's main partners in creating and maintaining a competitive advantage.
Regarding the progress of the Chabahar-Zahedan railway project, Sadeghi reported that work began in autumn 2024 on the railway connection from Heshahr to Chabahar via Zahedan. Previously, the Zahedan-Heshahr railway connection was implemented by previous governments, but this route had not yet been connected to the Port of Chabahar, whereas the Zahedan-Chabahar railway connection has strategic and geopolitical significance.
Expressing gratitude to the President for supporting the provision of resources for the Chabahar-Zahedan project, she specified that over the past two years, despite difficult conditions and the start of the war, approximately 40 trillion Tomans have been secured and allocated for this railway, and they hope the project will begin operating within the next one or two months.
The Minister of Transport and Urban Development viewed the President's constant attention to railway development and connecting the network to ports as an indicator of the importance of this issue in the priorities of the XIV government, noting that events in northern ports and restrictions in southern ports demonstrated more than before the importance of port rail connections and the creation of alternative routes for cargo movement.
She also mentioned the work and activation of the Aparin logistics center over the past two years, considering the development of this center an effective measure to strengthen the country's logistical potential.
Sadeghi stressed that increasing the share of rail transport in freight and passenger traffic is not possible solely by laying new lines. Achieving this goal requires a balance between infrastructure capacity, fleet condition, and service quality. Electrification of railway lines is also an important policy, which is primarily implemented for trunk and strategic corridors.
She added that the successful electrification of lines depends on the coordination of line development, rolling stock supply, energy infrastructure, and operating systems, and cooperation between the transport and energy sectors in this matter is crucial.
The Minister of Transport and Urban Development explained that digitalization and artificial intelligence can be effective in implementing new technologies in the railway industry for managing network capacity, predicting equipment failures, planning maintenance, improving safety, and enhancing services. Furthermore, blockchain technology, when properly applied, can help with the transparency and tracking of documents and transactions.
Sadeghi stated that the criterion for using technologies should be solving real problems and achieving measurable improvements in indicators. In the energy sector, storage systems, modern power supply systems, and renewable energy sources have opened up new opportunities that should be utilized after thorough technical and economic evaluation.
She called ensuring the supply and readiness of locomotives for operation one of the key tasks in the railway industry, noting that the shortage of traction power and the low availability of part of the diesel fleet directly affect capacity and service quality. Over the past two years, this issue has been one of the main areas of control by the Ministry of Transport and Urban Development, the Railway Company, and the government, and with the support of private investors, the number of locomotives in operation and their readiness has improved, although these measures are still insufficient and are actively being developed.
The Minister of Transport and Urban Development, speaking about agreements and memoranda with the private sector in the railway sector, explained that these investments are not limited to merely increasing the length of railway tracks; they also include identifying bottlenecks and major cargo hubs, as well as directing investments towards double and quadruple track lines, eliminating network constraints, developing logistics centers, and border terminals. Some of these memoranda were concluded with neighboring countries.
Sadeghi mentioned that among the topics of agreements to be signed on the sidelines of the conference are the supply of fully battery-powered locomotives, the restoration of existing locomotives using hybrid, battery-oriented systems, and the construction of solar power plants on railway lands, which can serve as a basis for linking investment and technology with the needs of the railway industry.
She highly praised the cooperation of the Ministry of Energy, SATBA, the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Economy, investors, and technology-owning companies, as well as the oversight of the CEO and staff of the Railway Company, adding that forming such cooperation shows that synergy between executive bodies, universities, and the private sector can find practical solutions to complex problems in the railway industry.
The Minister of Transport and Urban Development emphasized her ministry's support for the active presence of investors, stating that the development of the railway industry is impossible without the active participation of the private sector and the use of its financial and specialized capabilities. Domestic and foreign universities and scientific centers play a fundamental role in this process, and it is expected that cooperation between universities and industry will continue from the stage of problem identification to the design, testing, and evaluation of solutions.
The President, emphasizing the importance of an efficient and competitive transport and logistics infrastructure network to turn the country's geographical location into a sustainable advantage, added that completing railway corridors, connecting ports and production centers to the network, and expanding cooperation with neighboring countries can strengthen Iran's position in regional transit and create a basis for increasing trade turnover and stable foreign currency revenues.
