Iraq and Iran will jointly finish a rail link at their border in the south. The rail link will connect the Iranian border city Shalamcheh and Iraqi southeastern city Basra. The new cross border rail project was announced through a signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) during a meeting between Iraqi Republic Railways Company and Iranian Railways Company in Basra, Iraq, on 7 May.

According to the MoU, this railway will span over 32 kilometres, with an estimated 18 months construction period. Upon the completion of this railway, Iran could use Iraq as a transit hub connecting markets from different directions, and Turkey has already seen the potential.

Iran to Turkey

Again from Basra, a mega railway project is starting to take shape connecting Iran with Turkey. This railway will cross around 1,200 kilometres and ultimately connect Turkey with Grand Faw Port, which is located around 90 kilometres south to the Barsa (Iraq). Once the railway finished, Iran could access this trans-Iraqi rail via connection from Shalamcheh to Basra.

Currently, Iraq has approved this project under the so-called Development Road (also known as the Dry Canal). Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the project has the potential to become “the New ‘Silk Road’ of our region”.