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Iran is moving ahead on a railway project whose first phase is estimated at $1.8 billion and would establish a second direct rail link to Türkiye, running from Marand in East Azerbaijan province to the Cheshmeh Soraya border point in Igdir province, local media reported.
The 324-kilometer (201.32-mile) Khavaran-Tabriz-Marand-Cheshmeh Soraya project is planned to connect to Türkiye’s railway network through Aralik district in Igdir. Iranian officials describe the route as part of the broader Sarakhs-Cheshmeh Soraya east-west corridor, aimed at linking Central Asian rail traffic to Türkiye and Europe.
Jabbar Ali Zakeri, Iran’s deputy minister of transport and urban development and CEO of Iran Railways, described the connection to Türkiye as part of the government’s plans to expand international rail links.
"The connection of Cheshmeh Soraya to Iran’s railway network and, through it, the creation of a new connection point with Türkiye’s railway network is among the programs of the government, and preparations for bringing the project into the implementation stage are being completed," Zakeri said.
The main permits and approvals for the scheme have been secured, while preliminary studies are complete. Work over the past six months has focused on preparing the conditions needed to sign the project contract.
Nevertheless, Iran and Türkiye have yet to finalize a bilateral agreement. Zakeri reported that the Turkish government sent its response to the agreement document last week, and the two sides are expected to exchange the document soon.
According to information from Tasnim News Agency, the route includes completing the Khavaran connection to Tabriz railway station, upgrading and double-tracking the Tabriz-Marand section, and extending the line toward Cheshmeh Soraya.
The project's first phase will cover construction, completion and double-tracking, while subsequent stages will include electrification, signaling and the addition of rail rolling stock, the report added.
About 9 kilometers of tunnels are planned near the start of the route, while another tunnel measuring roughly 5 to 6 kilometers is planned around Yam and the Marand railway area.
Rail traffic between Iran and Türkiye currently runs through Van-Kapikoy on the Turkish side and Razi on the Iranian side. The new line would reach the border farther north at Cheshmeh Soraya before connecting to Türkiye’s railway network through Igdir.
Iran already has a railway connection to Nakhchivan through Julfa and has backed a separate transport route linking Azerbaijan’s mainland to the exclave through Iranian territory. However, Tehran has raised concerns about being sidelined by the Zangezur Corridor, making an additional direct rail link to Türkiye strategically relevant.
The Sarakhs-Cheshmeh Soraya corridor is also expected to extend the railway from Iran’s border with Turkmenistan toward Türkiye, opening a route for cargo from Central Asia to travel through Iran and Türkiye before reaching Europe.
Türkiye is also moving ahead on its side of the regional rail network, as construction continues on the 224-kilometer Kars-Igdir-Aralik-Dilucu railway.
The project is estimated to cost around $2.8 billion and will connect Kars and Igdir to the Dilucu border crossing, forming a key part of the Zangezur Corridor toward Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan.
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