Iraqi Minister of Transport denies signing agreement to link rail line with Iran
(Photo courtesy: Brett Sayles)
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Nasser Al-Shibli, Iraqi Minister of Transport, denied Iraq signing a project contract to connect a railway with Iran.
Al-Shibli said in a statement in Arabic: “The minutes of a meeting were signed with the Iranian side regarding the railway connection, which is not an agreement.”
“We have given a pledge to the Iraqis that any railway connection will not be possible to complete until after the completion of the Al-Faw port, as well as the completion of the railways and its infrastructure to be ready to receive the connection with any country,” said Al-Shibli.
However, Al-Shibli gave an update on the rail line from Al-Faw Port in south Iraq linking to the Iraqi-Turkish borders by revealing the signing of a contract for engineering designs with an Italian firm.
The mega project comprises the construction of 1,220 km rail line and will be awarded to financiers after the analyses are finalized.