As a result of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, “Iran has accelerated efforts to strengthen land-based and railway transportation networks with neighboring countries,” Azad News Agency reported on May 12. The official website of the Azad News Agency is https://ana.ir, which agency owned and operated by the technology-oriented Islamic Azad University.
The article explained that “Tehran has focused on diversifying its trade routes in an attempt to reduce dependence on southern maritime corridors and maintain access to strategic imports and exports. Pakistan has emerged as a key partner in this strategy. Islamabad, which maintains close diplomatic ties with Tehran, recently authorized expanded transit cooperation that allows goods from third countries to enter Iran through Pakistani territory. As part of the initiative, six land transit routes were opened and a new road corridor linking the two countries was officially launched. The designated routes connect Pakistan’s major ports—including Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar—to Iran’s border crossings at Gabd and Taftan.”
In addition to highways, rail routes are also being opened up, especially with China. “Freight services between Xi’an and Tehran have reportedly increased from one train per week to multiple weekly departures, reflecting growing demand for alternative supply chains amid regional instability.”
The war has sped up a trend that was already visible, towards trilateral and multilateral cooperation involving Iran, Pakistan, and China. Ana.ir reminds its readers that sea routes remain an essential form of transport, especially for bulk cargo shipments.