TEHRAN - The first cargo of Iranian exports arrived in Afghanistan last week via the new Khaf-Herat railroad that links Iran’s eastern city of Khaf to Herat city in Afghanistan, Deputy Transport and Urban Development Minister Abbas Khatibi announced.

The shipment was dispatched on a trial basis, aiming to detect possible technical problems and issues on that route.

According to Khatibi, the 500-ton cement cargo from Iran's Khaf city arrived in Ghoryan district of Herat on Wednesday, December 2, following the completion of the operational stages of the Herat-Khaf railway project.

The official noted that this experimental trip was made to detect any potential problems and to fully prepare the route for the official inauguration which is due to be held later this Iranian calendar month (ends on December 20).

The 193-kilometers-long Khaf-Herat is part of the Iran-Afghanistan rail corridor. The project started in the fiscal year of 2007-2008, connects Iran’s eastern city of Khaf to Afghanistan’s western city of Ghoryan.

Iran was in charge of completing three of the mentioned four parts (two of which are in the Iranian territory) and the fourth part is the responsibility of the Afghan side.

The first two parts of the railway (77 km) were completed two years ago and the third part which was in the Afghan territory has been recently completed.

Khaf-Herat line is part of the much bigger East-West Railway Corridor project which extends from China to Europe through Iran and Afghanistan.

Iran and Afghanistan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with five other countries that are in the way of the East-West corridor and further negotiations are still ongoing in this regard.

In early July, Iranian and Afghan officials held a committee meeting to discuss the completion and inauguration of the mentioned railway.

EF/MA