Speaking with reporters in Tehran on Wednesday, Safari told IRNA that projects are already underway to connect Iran’s railway to that of its neighbors, including Iraq and Turkey, as part of measures to increase cargo transit.

With the competition of these projects, the volume of cargos transported through Iranian railway would increase significantly, which would help generate forex revenues, he said. 

Safari put a specific focus on China, saying that the country and Europe currently transport goods via the Caspian Sea. Iran’s railway can easily act as a transit route between China and Europe, he added.

Iranian officials have in recent years paid special attention to cargo transit plans as part of efforts to generate income in the wake of Western sanctions limiting the country’s oil revenues and financial interactions.

With the country’s geographic position putting it on the path of cargo transport estimated at 1.5 billion tons a year, Iran can greatly contribute to international transit. For this purpose, emphasis has been laid on projects to develop corridors in the past years.

Experts estimate that Iran would need no oil sales to generate incomes if it can reach its cargo transit to 200 million tons per year.