Iran, Italy Sign Railroad Science Deal

EghtesadOnline: Iran and Italy have signed an agreement based on which Italian professors will teach the science of rail transportation to Iranian students.

News ID: ۷۷۹۷۳۸

15 October 2017

The agreement was signed by the Italian Railways Group, Islamic Republic of Iran Railways and the Iranian University of Science and Technology, IRIR’s Public Relations Office told Trend News Agency.

Addressing a joint press conference about the agreement, Saeid Fazel, the dean of engineering school at Iran University of Science and Technology, said 700 students, who had applied, have been selected to take the course.

Nourollah Beiranvand, the deputy head of IRIR for planning and economy, who also spoke during the press conference, hoped that the academic cooperation would provide Iran with skilled human resources, Financial Tribune reported.

Beiranvand noted that according to IRIR policies, railroads should be responsible for 30% of cargo transportation as well as 20% of passenger transportation in Iran.

The current share of rail in cargo transportation in Iran is at 12%. There is no data on the current share of passenger transportation.

Iran has 3,500 kilometers of railroads under construction. The country’s 20-Year Vision Plan (2005-25) stipulates that the number of passengers using rail transportation in the country will increase from the current 25 million to 65 million per year.