A 305km railway linking the Black Sea to Iran is progressing through the planning stages. The line will give Iran’s industry access to the Black Sea and a shortcut to the Mediterranean and European markets, while benefiting Armenia’s struggling economy by boosting trade and enabling access to the Caucuses and the Middle East. The line will benefit the whole region as trains will be able to travel direct from the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea.

The USD $3.2 billion railway is so expensive because of the challenging mountainous terrain that borders the two countries. Many tunnels and bridges will have to be dug and built to make this dream become a reality.

In a recent visit to Armenia the Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif announced that once the technical issues have been ironed out, construction will begin. This might be as early as 2016.

This route should help boost both economies through further regional co-operation.

(Source: RAI, Iran)