Iran and the Taliban are holding talks to resume construction on a rail project that aims to connect five Central Asian countries. Iran can make further investments and both Iran and the Taliban are willing to finish construction on the rail line that would connect Khaf in northeastern Iran with Herat in northwestern Afghanistan. 

The project is predicted to increase trade and reduce transit costs. The link could also connect Afghanistan to Iran’s southern ports and could eventually create a path between China and Turkey. The rail line is a piece of a proposed $2bn project called the Five Nations Railway Corridor which would run through China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran for 2,000km. The corridor would run through several provinces in Afghanistan. Plans to complete the railroad were delayed when the former Afghan government collapsed in August, The Taliban has not commented on the proposed project.

Read more: Iran in talks with the Taliban to resume ambitious rail project