TEHRAN – Iran has placed the development of transport corridors at the top of its infrastructure agenda, with a renewed push to deepen cooperation with neighboring countries, the transport minister said on Saturday.

Farzaneh Sadegh said corridor development was a central priority for Iran’s Transport and Urban Development Ministry, adding that efforts were under way, in coordination with the foreign ministry, to operationalize transport diplomacy and rebuild cooperation with neighboring states.

Speaking at a ceremony marking Transport Week attended by President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Sadegh praised workers across road, rail, air and maritime transport for keeping the country’s logistics arteries open under difficult conditions.

She said private-sector operators had continued to sustain national transit during crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and a recent 12-day conflict, describing this resilience as a defining feature of Iran’s transport and logistics sector.

Sadegh acknowledged persistent challenges, including structural imbalances and accumulated debts to contractors and workers, but said the government was committed to stronger regulation and facilitation to support private-sector participation.

She said the recent approval of a national transit document by the president would help integrate management and planning across the sector, reinforcing the government’s goal of restoring Iran’s position as a regional logistics and transit hub.

Corridor development remains the cornerstone of that strategy, she said, adding that transport diplomacy with neighboring countries had been embedded across ministerial programs.

Sadegh said steps were being taken to remove obstacles facing private operators, citing the addition of around 2,000 airline seats over the past week, new rail contracts with private companies, and plans to unveil road, motorway and broader transport investment packages within the next two months.

She expressed hope that sustained government backing and parliamentary support would allow the ministry to meet its obligations to the public and advance transport development despite economic constraints.

EF/MA