TEHRAN – Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami has said that the country’s freeway network is going to be expanded by 5,000 kilometers in the next five years, IRNA reported.

Eslami said there are currently 2,400 km of freeways across Iran, adding that another 580 kilometers will be added to the country's freeway network by the end of the current administration (early August 2021).

“We will increase the [length of] freeways in a five-year program to 5,000 km,” he said.

He also mentioned the country’s railway network, saying that there are about 14,700 kilometers of railroads in the country.

“We plan to add another 1,200 kilometers to the country's railway lines by the end of the current administration,” the official said.

Another 14,000 kilometers of railway lines are also under study and construction, of which 3,300 kilometers are under construction and the rest are under study, he said.

The minister further noted that the main focus of the ministry is currently expansion of the main roads including freeways, highways, and also the railway network.

According to the official, the priority for the development projects in this sector are freight centers and the rail lines that can increase the freight share of the railway network.

Back in June, Eslami had announced that 980 kilometers of freeways will be inaugurated throughout Iran during the current Iranian calendar year (ends on March 20, 2021).

Mentioning his ministry’s plans for the current Iranian year, Eslami noted that construction of 1600 km of highways was on the agenda for the current year.

EF/MA