FNA - Iranian technicians and engineers are due to complete the Iraqi part of Shalamcheh-Basra railway, an official in the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI) said on Sunday.

"Since the Iraqis have stated that they cannot afford construction of the railway to Basra, the railway was decided to receive Iran's financing which will be paid back by the Iraqi side later," Deputy Head of RAI for Infrastructure and Technical Affairs Maziyar Yazdani said on Sunday.


He added that the railway will link Shalamcheh in Iran to Iraq and then to Lattakia port in Northwestern Syria to cause a major boost in transit of goods between Iran to Syria.


Iran and Iraq in 2014 agreed to pave the way for linking the two countries' railway network.


The then Iranian roads and urban development minister said at the time that Iraq had to construct only 32 kilometers of railway in order to link Iran's railway to Basra railway system which could then pave the way for connecting the Iranian cities to Iraqi cities of Baghdad, Karbala and Kazmayn.


"Iran's railway system is linked to railways of Central Asia, China and Russia and if the 32-kilometer Shalamcheh-Basra railway will be constructed, Iraq can transfer goods and passengers to Russia and China and vice versa," he added.