OREANDA-NEWS. June 26, 2007.  Between 18 and 22 June 2007, a delegation of Iranian Railways headed by the company CEO Muhammed Saidnejad visited Russia.

During the negotiations, the two sides discussed the implementation of the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding signed on 5 November 2006, in particular with regard to the implementation of infrastructure projects.

Iran intends to build 500 km of new railways lines every year, purchase 300 new locomotives, 8,800 freight wagons and about 1,000 passenger coaches, and is also interested in reconstructing existing lines, installing signalling, centralization and blocking systems and electrifying certain lines. CEO Muhammed Saidnejad said that Iran plans to switch to electric traction on around 2,000 km of railway lines.

Russian Railways and Iranian Railways are continuing work on the commercial conditions to electrify the 50 km section between Tebriz and Azarshakhr. Iranian Railways plans to increase the number of special trains for pilgrims between Tehran and Meshkhed, a distance of 900 km, to 66 per day and increase the speeds to 200 kph.

The Iranians also confirmed their interest in commissioning Russian Railways to prepare a proposal for electrifying the section.

In addition, Russian Railways received an invitation from their Iranian colleagues to take part as a full member in the work of the Middle East Rail Academy under the aegis of the International Rail Union (UIC). The Company will make a decision after familiarizing itself with the Academy’s work.

After the meetings, the two sides signed a Memorandum.

During the visit of the Iranian delegation, negotiations also took place between senior management of Russian Railways, Iranian Railways and Azerbaijani State Railways on implementing the project to build a new railways line between Qazvin, Resht, Astara (Iran) and Astara (Azerbaijan) based on the agreement signed by the three companies on 2 May 2005, which aims to establish a direct railway line between Iran and Azerbaijan and on to Russia.

Iran has already begun working on the section between Qazvin and Resht.

The three sides resolved that within one month they would agree on further steps required to implement the earlier agreement.