The Iran Project - Iran has started construction on a major railroad project in its arid eastern regions, connecting the cities of Nehbandan to Yunesi in South Khorasan province.

The rairoad, spanning nearly 400 kilometers along Iran's border with Afghanistan, is expected to play a significant role in the economic development of the region.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has allocated the necessary financial and technical resources for the completion of the project. The railway corridor is part of a larger 910-kilometer route between Zahedan and Mashhad.

The government plans to use oil barter financing mechanisms to fund the project, with approval from Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

The railway connection is part of Iran's efforts to enhance its cargo transit capacity via the International North-South Transport Corridor, linking its ocean port of Chabahar to landlocked countries in Central Asia. Construction is already underway for a railway link between Chabahar and Zahedan, with the first section set to open by March.