Iran Halts Afghanistan's First Transit Train En Route To Turkey

Afghanistan's inaugural transit train to Turkey was halted in Iran, as reported by ILNA news agency, citing sources.

The train, loaded with 110 metric tonnes of mineral ore, was stopped at Rozanak railway station in Iran and was not allowed to proceed.

Neither Taliban officials nor the Islamic Republic of Iran have officially commented on the incident.

ILNA's report on Sunday highlighted the ambiguity surrounding Iran's decision to stop the train. Miad Salehi, CEO of Iran's Railway Company, stated that enhancing rail transit remains a priority. However, he noted that, for unspecified reasons, the first transit train and its official passage through the Khaf-Herat railway were halted at Rozanak station, and no locomotive was provided for the train's continuation.

An informed source suggested to ILNA that "financial issues" might be the reason for denying the train's passage.

Recently, the Taliban's railway authority announced the first-ever export of 1,100 metric tonnes of mineral ore to Mersin, Turkey, via rail. The shipment included talc, as specified by the authority.

The Taliban also noted that Afghanistan currently has railway connections to Iran and Turkmenistan, facilitating the daily export and import of hundreds of tonnes of commercial goods.