Iran and Kazakhstan Pursue Transport Cooperation Document as Kazakh Minister Is Invited to Chabahar Rail Opening

Iran's Ministry of Roads and Urban Development said in a report published by Mehr News Agency on Saturday, 17 October 2026 (25 Mehr 1405), that Roads Minister Farzaneh Sadeq met Kazakhstan's Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev in Astana. The two ministers called for stronger cooperation across transport modes and the drafting of a comprehensive logistics and infrastructure cooperation document. The Kazakh minister said Iran's proposed roadmap is being finalised; no signing or implementation has yet been announced.

Sadeq invited her counterpart to the future opening of the Chabahar to Zahedan railway and said linking the route to Sarakhs could improve Afghanistan's and countries north of the Caspian Sea's access to Iran's transit network. She proposed activating the eastern branch of the north-south corridor and the China, Kazakhstan, Iran and Europe route. Iran's rail builder previously said track laying on the Chabahar to Zahedan line was complete but welding and remaining work continued; the invitation does not mean the railway is in service.