Iran, August 2026 – Iran and Turkey are preparing to establish a new rail connection through the Cheshmeh Soraya border crossing as part of the Khavaran–Tabriz–Marand–Cheshmeh Soraya railway project. The contract is expected to be signed soon after outstanding contractual requirements are completed, according to Iran’s railway chief Jabbar Ali Zakeri.
The proposed route is expected to extend approximately 324 km, compared with the 294 km length identified in earlier studies. Iranian authorities said the route was revised to ensure consistent technical specifications and employer requirements across the corridor. Preliminary studies and required approvals have been completed, while preparations for the contract have been underway for around six months.
The project will be delivered under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract. Once signed, the selected contractor is expected to undertake supplementary and second-phase studies before construction begins at several locations during the first six months of implementation. The connection would provide Iran with a new rail gateway to Turkey in addition to the country's existing international rail connection in the west.
For the rail sector, the project is significant because Iranian authorities view the route as part of a wider east-west railway corridor extending from Sarakhs in northeastern Iran to Cheshmeh Soraya in the northwest. Officials have emphasised that the line should therefore be developed using unified technical standards rather than treated solely as a regional railway project.
The development highlights Iran and Turkey’s efforts to strengthen cross-border rail connectivity and expand alternative routes for international freight. If implemented as planned, the new connection could improve the continuity of rail movements between Iran and Turkey while supporting the longer-term development of east-west transport links between Asia and European markets.
Source: Tasnim News Agency
Iran And Turkey Advance New 324-Km Cross-Border Rail Link
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Cross-border railway connections are becoming increasingly important for strengthening east-west trade corridors and improving links between national rail networks. Iran and Turkey are advancing a new railway connection through the Cheshmeh Soraya border crossing, with the project intended to extend Iran’s rail network towards Turkey through a new international border point.
