Description:
A short video report by Al Mayadeen TV on the first joint freight railroad between Pakistan, Iran and Turkey, marking a shift in economic exchange between the three countries.
Source: Al Mayadeen News (YouTube)
Date: December 30, 2021
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Transcript:
Reporter:
This (freight) train transporting Pakistani goods and products moves from Islamabad, via Taftan in Iran, to reach Istanbul in Turkey. The railway lines this train will cross is estimated at around 4000 miles. It is the most significant move to be taken by the Economic Cooperation Organization (originally established by) Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey.
Anwar Abbas, Journalist & Foreign Policy Expert:
The train’s benefits are not limited to the economic aspect, rather, the biggest goal is regional integration, which is sought by Pakistan. Moreover, exchanging goods and (carrying out) mutual projects (between Iran, Turkey and Pakistan) will achieve important bilateral and trilateral convergence.
Reporter:
The (railway) route of freight trains will (now) be 11 days faster than sea routes. Further, it will cost less and face less dangers; and the increase in commercial exchange between Pakistan and Iran might hit about $5 billion, especially since the economic exchange will help increase domestic production rates as well as national income ratios.
Abed Habib, Expert in Economic Affairs:
Both Pakistani and Iranian economies suffer from smuggling in particular, in addition to the lack of expanded cooperation in terms of commercial exchange. Therefore, this (transportation) project will represent a shift in direct commercial cooperation between the two countries.
Reporter:
The freight (train) will transport rice to Istanbul and rock salt to Iran as essential goods sent by Pakistan. In return, Pakistan will obtain liquefied gas from Iran. This affirms the deep commercial exchange and political convergence between both countries.
A decade after signing the trilateral cooperation agreement between Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, the first commercial cargo (train) sets off, carrying new hope and an economic-political dimension that is free from foreign intervention in general and the American one in particular.
Bakr Younis, Islamabad, Al Mayadeen
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