Iran’s state railway is shifting its focus toward freight and fleet efficiency, with international rail transport, export cargo movement, faster wagon turnaround, safety and better passenger service set as the company’s main priorities.
Railways CEO Jabbar Ali Zakeri outlined the agenda at a meeting of the High Committee for the Railway Transport Graph, saying passenger services—particularly on routes to Mashhad—must improve, with enough fleet capacity and readiness to serve pilgrims and travelers.
On the freight side, Zakeri called for supplying wagons needed by cargo owners, clearing obstacles to international and export shipments, and cutting wagon dwell times to raise productivity. He also urged better use of locomotive capacity and the formation of heavy freight trains on routes where capacity and technical conditions allow.
The deputy minister of Transport and Urban Development also stressed infrastructure security and safe train operations, calling for closer cooperation between railway police and security guards, more patrolling along rail lines and stronger measures against theft of railway equipment.
