North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

[Mher]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

They should connect to Artsakh, then Armenia to avoid construction problems due to terrain.......but NKR is not recognized which makes it hard for Iran.

you know there's already gas pipeline projects from Iran going into Artsakh. This is a topic I'll try to get more information on and post here. But it was very interesting when I found out about it, because I immediately thought of this railway. While supplying Karabakh with Iranian gas is much more low key, and easier to sweep under the rug than a major railway connecting Russia to Iran, in principle, if Iran is willing to do the former, I can see a possibility of the latter.

My opinion is, the day the Abkhazia railway with Georgia opens, so this Armenia/Iran railway can actually benefit Russia, is the day Russia swoops in and takes care of the funding, planing, and execution.

[Eddo211]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

Yea, I heard that rumor too.....Iran is the one who is more interested on pipeline or railway than NKR who would be happy to see it happen.

Pssibilities are there and eventually will happen, I know it will.......the only problem is time. we hope it happens soon then getting tangled up in red tape if you know what I mean. its not Armenia but others.

[Zeytun]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

Iran, Armenia To Promote New Eurasian Transport Corridor

http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/27519038.html

Armenia and Iran will strive to create a new transport corridor that would connect India to Europe via their territories, Armenian Transport and Communications Minister Gagik Beglarian revealed on Friday.

Beglarian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that he reached relevant understandings with senior Iranian government officials during a visit to Tehran last week. The Armenian and Iranian governments will work together in facilitating cargo shipments between Europe and India that would be carried out through the Persian Gulf, Iran, Armenia, Georgia and the Black Sea, he said.

“We agreed to ship two [sample] containers from [the Indian port of] Mumbai to the Black Sea and on to Europe via the Persian Gulf and Iran and ascertain the price [of such shipments,]” he went on. “According to our rough calculations, the cost of this transit route should be lower than other routes offered to Iran, which, as you know, would pass through Turkey and Azerbaijan.”

Beglarian met with Iran’s First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri, Roads and Urban Development Minister Abbas Akhoundi and Communications and Information Technology Minister Mahmoud Vaezi during the January 20-21 trip to Tehran. According to Beglarian’s press service, he discussed with Akhoundi “the creation of a Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor.”

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani was reported to say, in a January 24 phone call with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian, that the two neighboring states should “spare no effort in connecting the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea.” The two leaders explored this and other opportunities for closer economic ties that have emerged with the recent lifting of international sanctions against Iran.

Beglarian said that in an effort to make the would-be Eurasian corridor more attractive the Armenian government will step up this year the ongoing reconstruction of Armenia’s main highways stretching more than 550 kilometers to Georgia and Iran. The government will specifically try to accelerate highway upgrades in the southeastern Syunik province bordering Iran, he said.

“If we start that work from Agarak (a Syunik town on the Armenian-Iranian border) this year, they will realize that our alternative transit route is better,” explained the minister.

The government already borrowed last year $150 million from the Kazakhstan-based Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) to rebuild a 20-kilometer road currently going through a mountain pass close to Agarak. Most of that money is due to be spent on the construction of a 4-kilometer tunnel there.

The tortuous Kajaran pass is situated over 3,000 meters above the sea level and is frequently closed to traffic in winter months because of snowstorms and ice.

In Beglarian’s words, upgrading the Agarak-Kajaran section alone would significantly shorten travel from the Iranian border to Yeraskh, a railway station about 50 kilometers southeast of Yerevan. Under to the ambitious transit project discussed with Tehran, he said, goods from India and Iran would be transported to Yeraskh by trucks and then shipped to the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti by rail.

[Zeytun]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

Agreement reached in Tehran on linking India and Europe via Iran and Armenia
19:37, 30.01.2016
Region:Armenia, Iran

[...]

In the Minister’s words, the Iranian side has been proposed a new project of railway to Armenia which will pass from Meghri to Vayotys Dzor, reaching Yeraskh instead of Sevan. Next week, specialists from Iran will arrive in Yerevan to study this new project. “This project may be shorter, and it will be possible to construct it faster. The Iranian side expressed interest in participating and helping us in the feasibility study of the new railway, as well as the final projects,” he concluded.

[Zeytun]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

EIB supports with EUR 51m upgrade of strategic transport infrastructure in Armenia

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 51 million to the Republic of Armenia to finance rehabilitation of the M6 interstate road, the crucial transport corridor in Armenia representing the interconnection of the country with Georgia and thus the EU and being significant particularly for Armenia’s exports and imports.

The EIB funds will support the rehabilitation and upgrading along some 90 km of the M6 road between Vanadzor in central Armenia and Bagratashen at the North eastern border between Armenia and Georgia. The road follows a deep valley and features several hairpin bends, steep inclines, narrow bridges and three tunnels which will be upgraded. The M6 rehabilitation will help to improve traffic fluidity, levels of service, time savings and increase overall road safety, expected to result in a reduced number of road accidents, injuries and fatalities.

EIB Vice-President László Baranyay, responsible for EIB operations in Armenia commented: “The EIB loan will support the upgrade of Armenia’s priority M6 road infrastructure representing connection of Yerevan with Tbilisi. This transport infrastructure serves as major link of Armenia with Europe and other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States through Georgia’s Black Sea ports carrying over 60% of Armenia’s international traffic”.

In addition to EIB, the Asian Development Bank is expected to provide support to the project. The total costs of the project that will be promoted by the Ministry of Transport and Communication is EUR 102 million.

https://www.armradio.am/en/2016/02/01/eib-supports-with-eur-51m-upgrade-of-strategic-transport-infrastructure-in-armenia/

[londontsi]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

Agreement reached in Tehran on linking India and Europe via Iran and Armenia
19:37, 30.01.2016
Region:Armenia, Iran

[...]

In the Minister’s words, the Iranian side has been proposed a new project of railway to Armenia which will pass from Meghri to Vayotys Dzor, reaching Yeraskh instead of Sevan. Next week, specialists from Iran will arrive in Yerevan to study this new project. “This project may be shorter, and it will be possible to construct it faster. The Iranian side expressed interest in participating and helping us in the feasibility study of the new railway, as well as the final projects,” he concluded.

Very odd.

Yeraskh is at the northern border of Nachichevan and the Turkey's border.

.

[Federate]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

Very odd.

Yeraskh is at the northern border of Nachichevan and the Turkey's border.

.

Will reduce cost as Yeraskh already has existing rail infrastructure while Sevan (initial choice) does not. Strategic placement is still bad as you pointed out but seems they just want to be able to make the project happen ASAP. Still think they should construct a rail line to Sevan.

[Mher]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

Iran, Armenia To Hold More Talks On Rail Link


Sargis Harutyunyan
Հրապարակված է՝ 18.02.2016

Iran and Armenia will hold soon more negotiations on the ambitious idea of building a railway connecting the two neighboring states, the Iranian ambassador in Yerevan, Seyyed Kazem Sajjad, said on Thursday.

“Armenia’s transport minister and Iran’s roads and urban development minister negotiated on this issue [in Tehran last month,] and a delegation of Iranian specialists will visit Armenia in the near future to look into technical-economic justifications [for the project,]” Sajjad told reporters.

The Armenian and Iranian governments have discussed the expensive project for more than a decade. Yerevan has so far failed to attract an estimated $3 billion needed for building the 305-kilometer-long Armenian section of the railway that would mainly pass through the mountainous Syunik province.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian discussed the possibility of Chinese funding for the project when he visited China in September. Armenian officials said afterwards that the Chinese government will conduct a feasibility study before deciding whether to finance work on the strategic rail link.

Armenia’s Transport and Communications Minister Gagik Beglarian suggested an alternative, cheaper route for the Armenian section of the would-be railway when he visited Tehran late last month. The Iranian delegation mentioned by Sajjad will presumably examine its costs and benefits during the planned talks in Yerevan.

Echoing statements by Armenian officials, Sajjad expressed confidence that the recent lifting of international sanctions against Iran will significantly facilitate closer commercial ties between the Islamic Republic and its small Christian neighbor. “Very soon we will witness a further development of bilateral relations,” added the ambassador.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian discussed the new opportunities opened up by the sanctions relief in a January 23 phone call. Rouhani reportedly told Sarkisian that the two nations should “spare no effort in connecting Persian Gulf and Black Sea ports” with transport corridors passing through Iran, Armenia and Georgia.

http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/27560259.html

[Mher]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

Ara Papyan: railway through Azerbaijan is under construction

YEREVAN, February 22. /ARKA/. Construction of a railway through Azerbaijan will be more beneficial to Iran than through the territory of Armenia, Ara Papyan, the head of Modus Vivendi thin tank in Yerevan, said to a news conference today.

"From the financial point of view, construction of a railway through Azerbaijan would cost $400 million, while construction of a railway through Armenia is estimated to cost more than $3 billion", he said. Papyan said also that construction of a railway line through Azerbaijan has long been underway.
According to him, the complex terrain of the southern Armenia, which borders Iran, is another deterring problem.

Papyan said also that once the railway through Azerbaijan is built, Armenia would appear in a complete isolation. In this regard, he said, now is the time to make the international community realize the danger of this project for Armenia. The railway in question is supposed to connect Iran with Europe.

Last week Iranian ambassador to Armenia, Seyyed Kazem Sajjadi said a team of Iranian experts will visit Armenia in the near future to explore the technical possibilities for building a railway link from Iran to Armenia.

The agreement on the construction of the rail link was approved by Armenian and Iranian governments in 2009. In 2012, the Dubai-based Rasia FZE Investment Company was granted a 50-year concession by the Armenian government to build and manage the 305-kilometer railway from Armenia to Iran, to be named the Southern Armenian Railway (SAR).

By late 2013 Rasia FZE contracted the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) to develop a feasibility study for the project, estimated to cost $3.5 billion. The high cost is explained by mountainous terrain through which it is supposed to pass. Specifically, the 305 km-long railway will have 19.6 km-long 64 bridges and 60 tunnels of 102.3 kilometers.

The railway is to run from Gagarin station in Armenia’s Gegharkunik province to Agarak in southern Syunik and may transport up to 25 million tons of cargo a year.

According to an Armenian government statement, the Southern Armenia Railway will create the shortest transportation route from the ports of the Black Sea to the ports of the Persian Gulf and establish a major commodities transit corridor between Europe and the Persian Gulf region. -0-

http://arka.am/en/news/business/ara_papyan_iran_is_already_building_railway_through_azerbaijan/

[Mher]

Re: North-South Highway/Iran-Armenia Railway

Shipping company CEO: Iran - Armenia railway link not justified economically

Shipping company CEO: Iran - Armenia railway link not justified economically
YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. From the strategic point of view the project to build a railway to connect Armenia to Iran is purely political, and not justified from the business point of view, the executive director of Apaven shipping company Gagik Aghajanyan told a news conference today.

"The volume of cargo turnover between Armenia and Iran is not of interest for rail transportation. It is not worth billions of dollars required to build the rail link,’ he said.

Aghajanyan added that until recently Armenia was seen as the only country that could link the countries of the region through the proposed railway link, however, today the situation has changed and the neighboring countries are now able to communicate with each other bypassing Armenia.

Aghajanyan specified that the railway from Kars (Turkey) to Akhalkalaki (Georgia) and Baku (Azerbaijan) will soon be commissioned and about a year later another railway will link Astara (Azerbaijan) with Rasht and Qazvin in Iran thus to accomplish the construction of North-South transport corridor.

During Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev's visit to Iran on February 23 the sides signed a number of agreements, including an agreement on the merger of the Iranian and Azerbaijani railways. -0-

http://arka.am/en/news/economy/shipping_company_ceo_iran_armenia_railway_link_not_justified_economically/