China's Silk Road revival steams ahead as cargo train arrives in Iran
A long-distance cargo train has travelled from China to Iran as part of an attempted revival of the ancient Silk Road, a trans-Asian trade route connecting the east to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea.
The 32-container train, which arrived in Tehran on Monday, took 14 days to complete the 6,462 mile (10,399km) journey from China’s eastern Zhejiang province through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan – one month less than the sea route from Shanghai to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
Iranian officials have indicated that the ultimate aim is to extend the rail route to Europe, positioning Iran on a key stretch to the continent. The train, which departed from Zhejiang’s trading hub Yiwu, travelled an average of more than 700km a day. “Iran is strategically located in the Middle East, sharing land borders with 15 nations and sea channels on its northern and southwestern coasts,” said Iran’s state-owned Press TV. “China sees Iran as a country that can play a crucial role in China’s New Silk Road initiative, given its access to extensive delivery routes connecting to the Middle East and Eurasia.”
