TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency) – Considering Iran’s unique goods transit capabilities, developing transit lines would be one of the primary objectives of the country’s railroad transportation network, Deputy Minister of Road and Transportation for Railway Development said here Tuesday.

Sadeq Afshar also said that Iran should expand ties with all neighboring countries through transit trade lines while connecting large factories with the railroad system during the fourth development plan (2005-10). “As the Bafq- Mashad railway comes on stream next year, the predicted scheme for the national railway network in the third plan will be fully accomplished.” Iran’s railway system is designed according to the state-of-the-art technology, mostly under the International UIC standard, Afshar stressed. The system does not include express trains, he said, adding, “Instead, it uses relatively fast trains with a maximum speed of 200km per hour.”

The whole system is also maintained by the state-of-the-art technologies, he added.