Iraq, Iran Launch Construction of Railroad Between 2 Countries

DOHA (Sputnik) - The Iranian and Iraqi authorities have launched construction of a railroad between the Iranian border town of Shalamcheh and the Iraqi city of Basra, including for facilitating Muslim pilgrimage, the Iraqi government said on Saturday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani and Iranian Vice President Mohammad Mokhber attended the laying of the foundation stone for the railroad station, the Iraqi prime minister's office said in a statement obtained by Sputnik.

"Prime Minister Al Sudani laid the foundation stone for the Iraq-Iran railroad project at the Shalamcheh border crossing. The project will connect Iraq with neighboring countries, allowing the transportation of passengers and pilgrims visiting holy sites," the statement read.

The project has been in the pipeline for years, but the Iraqi government could not get the ball rolling until now, according to the statement.

Mokhber described the project as "strategic for both Iran and Iraq," as quoted by Iraqi broadcaster Al Sumaria, as it would not only link the railroad networks of the two countries but also complement the international networks and link the region of Central Asia to Iraq.