Iran Finishes Track Work on Chabahar-Iranshahr Section, Aims to Commission Chabahar-Zahedan Railway by January 2027

Key facts

• Iran has completed rail-laying on the Chabahar-Iranshahr section of the Chabahar-Zahedan railway and targets commissioning of the strategic line by January 2027.
• The announcement was made by Sistan and Baluchestan Governor Mansour Bijar during Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Farzaneh Sadegh's visit to the project.
• The Chabahar-Zahedan railway has a direct length of 630 km (735 km with branch lines), with 33 stations, 39 tunnels and 201 bridges, and is designed to carry about 7.7 million tonnes of freight and 2.2 million passengers annually.
• The railway will connect Chabahar port to Iran's national rail network, providing India an alternative route to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asian markets bypassing Pakistan.
• The project is significant for the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which seeks to connect India with Iran, Central Asia, Russia and Europe.
• India signed a 10-year contract in May 2024 for India Ports Global Ltd to operate the Shahid-Behesti terminal at Chabahar, but has reportedly handed over operations to the Iranian side.
• US sanctions on Chabahar took effect after the conditional waiver granted to India expired in April 2026.