From Armenia in brief: Asian bank to fund feasibility study for Armenia-Iran railway

Published: Saturday October 25, 2008

A feasibility study is underway toward a rail link between Iran and Armenia. Photolure.

At a press briefing in Yerevan, Armenia's Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian said that the Asian Development Bank will fund a feasibility study for the construction of an Armenia-Iran railway. The study will cost $1.5 million.

According to Armenpress the prime minister said that the study will then be presented by the bank to the private sector, "which may also participate in the project. We will invite our strategic partners to participate in the project." He went on to say that he believes that by the following year there will be serious progress in the actual implementation of this project.

Transport and Communication Minister Gurgen Sarkisian told journalists that the project is expected to cost approximately $1.5-2 billion and be implemented in five years time.

According to RFE/RL the project has been under discussion for years by the Armenian and Iranian governments. Armenian authorities have recently signaled their desire to finally get it off the drawing board, with President Serge Sargsian declaring its implementation one of his administration's top economic priorities.