The Taliban’s Ministry of Public Works said on Saturday that Afghanistan, Türkiye, and Iran have agreed to expand cooperation in the railway sector, including plans to jointly launch the Herat–Mazar-e-Sharif railway project.

The initiative will draw on the financial, technical, and human resources of all three countries.

According to the ministry, Mohammad Ishaq Sahibzada, the Taliban’s deputy minister of public works, held talks with Turkish and Iranian officials on the sidelines of the 36th Regional Assembly of Middle East Railways in Türkiye.

The discussions focused on the strategic importance of linking Afghanistan, Iran, and Türkiye by rail, with the goal of facilitating regional trade and goods transit.

Turkish officials reportedly said the joint effort could eventually connect Türkiye’s and Iran’s rail networks to China via Afghanistan, creating a major new corridor for regional connectivity.

The meeting also underscored that extending the Khaf–Herat railway line to Mazar-e-Sharif would provide one of the most efficient transit routes linking the Middle East and Europe to East Asia, potentially transforming Afghanistan into a vital hub for regional trade and logistics.