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INFRASTRUCTURE
: ROADS, PORTS, AIRPORTS, RAILWAYS, POWER & TELECOM
Railways:
total: 6,130 km
broad
gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
standard
gauge: 6,036 km 1.435-m gauge (187 km electrified)
note:
broad-gauge track is employed at the borders with Azerbaijan and
Turkmenistan which have broad-gauge rail systems; 41 km of the standard-gauge,
electrified track is in suburban service at Tehran (2001)
Highways:
total: 140,200 km
paved: 49,440 km (including 470 km of expressways)
unpaved: 90,760 km (1998 est.)
Waterways:
904 km; the Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic
for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use
Pipelines:
crude oil 5,900 km; petroleum products 3,900 km; natural gas 4,550
km
Ports
and harbors: Abadan (largely destroyed
in fighting during 1980-88 war), Ahvaz, Bandar 'Abbas, Bandar-e
Anzali, Bushehr, Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni, Bandar-e Lengeh, Bandar-e
Mahshahr, Bandar-e Torkaman, Chabahar (Bandar Beheshti), Jazireh-ye
Khark, Jazireh-ye Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited
operation since November 1992), Now Shahr
Merchant
marine:
total: 152 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 4,097,977 GRT/7,131,688 DWT
ships
by type: bulk 49, cargo 38, chemical tanker 4, combination
bulk 1, container 10, liquefied gas 1, multi-functional large-load
carrier 6, petroleum tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll
off 9, short-sea passenger 1
note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:
Singapore 1 (2000 est.)
Airports
317
(2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total:
117
over
3,047 m: 38
2,438
to 3,047 m: 23
1,524
to 2,437 m: 25
914
to 1,523 m: 24
under
914 m: 7 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total:
200
over
3,047 m: 2
2,438
to 3,047 m: 3
1,524
to 2,437 m: 13
914
to 1,523 m: 122
under
914 m: 60 (2000 est.)
Heliports: 11 (2000 est.)
6,500
kilometers of roads are being built in various parts of the country.
Presently, there are 150,000 kilometers of main roads, detours and
highways across the country. Moreover, construction of the terminal
and runway of Arak airport has been finished and it is ready to
come on stream. Also, the total cargoes carried by the road, marine
and air fleets in 1998 reached 60 billion tons/kilometers. In the
same year, the Islamic Republic Shipping Lines (IRSL), managed to
transport 11.5 million tons/rent of cargoes. The organization also
succeeded to reduce the age of 22 out of its 78 ships from 17 years
to five years. The transportation capacity of 82 ocean going ships
of IRSL stands at 2,420,000 tons.
ROAD
TRANSPORTATION
Presently,
there are 150,000 kilometers of main roads, detours and highways
throughout the country, of which 10,000 kilometers such as Salafchekan
axis are considered "special communication artery".
"The
roads and transport minister added: "with regards to the fact that
these main roads are considered the main communication routes in
the country, widening and renovation of them is among the major
programs of the Ministry of Roads and Transport."
Of
10,000 kilometers of roads considered main communication routes,
5,000 kilometers have been widened and plans are under way to widen
the rest.
Construction
work on the premises and runway of the Arak airport has been completed
and the airport was inaugurated by President Mohammad Khatami.
Terming
the Tehran terminal as one of the important projects implemented
by the Ministry of Roads and Transport, he said: "the project which
came to stream in the presence of President Mohammad Khatami concurrently
with the Government Week plays a key role in solving environmental
problems and easing the public's traffic."
On
the Variant-Rahjerd and the fourth phase of Arak-Salafchekan axis,
the roads and transport minister said that 22 billion rials has
been spent on the implementation of the fourth phase of the project
which is 30 kilometer long.
According
to Hojati, Arak-Salafchekan axis is one of the most frequented communication
routes in the country and with implementation of the project, road
accidents will sharply decrease and vehicle traffic will gain momentum.
It
took nine months to implement the plan (the fourth phase of Arak-Salafchekan
route). The total budget allocated to widening Arak-Salafchekan
axis is 80 billion rials.
23,000
vehicles traveled on the road per day and before being widened many
road accidents used to happen on the route.
Tehran-North
Free Way, the Largest Road Building Project in the History of Iran
The
plan to build a free way linking Tehran to northern Iran, which
had initially been proposed by Daftari-Taleqani Engineering Group
in 1974, was put into force with establishment of the Company for
Construction and Exploitation of Tehran-North Free Way. The free
way that runs through the Central Alborz protected zone that is
one of the main quake-prone regions in Iran, has four km of overpasses
and 60 km of tunnels. Such problems as a maximum six percent slope
in the route of the free way and construction of townships along
the free way have aroused some concern about the implementation
of the project.
History
of the free way
The
idea of building a free way connecting Tehran to the Caspian region
in northern Iran was first raised in the last years of the Pahlavi
regime. The petrodollars earned through oil exports had preoccupied
minds of the then Iranian statesmen with the implementation of ambitious
projects.
After
making necessary arrangements, the Daftari-Taleqani Engineering
Group offered three projects for construction of Tehran-North free
way but for some reasons, including the large number of projects
offered and due to the slump in oil revenues, those projects were
temporarily archived. The occurrence of the Islamic Revolution in
Iran was another reason for halting implementation of the project
at that time. In 1993, the said project was first brought up and
discussed by the cabinet ministers and later by the then Plan and
Budget Organization (PBO).
However,
when the PBO voiced its opposition to the project, the government
disproved it as well. The plan later found its way in the Mostazafan
and Janbazan Foundation (Foundation of the Oppressed and Disabled)
and the eventual contract for its implementation was signed between
Mohsen Rafiq-Doust, the former head of the foundation and Akbar
Torkan, the then minister of roads and transportation in the government
of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. A company was established later for
building the free way.
With
the establishment of the Company for Construction and Exploitation
of Tehran-North Free Way, not only did the idea of implementing
the project come true, but details of the project, its financial
sources and management were also made known. According to the company's
articles of association, using capitals of those wishing to invest
in the project and issuing public bonds for carrying out development,
public services, trade and production activities, trading in and
taking possession of lands situated along the route of Tehran-North
free way were among financial sources of the project.
The
managers of the project were named as Mohsen Rafiq-Doust, chairman
of the board of directors of the company, Mohammad Saeedi-Kya (ex-minister
of roads and transportation) vice chairman of the board of directors,
Mostafa Miri, managing director, and Mohammad Alizadeh and Mohammad
Reza Mazji members of the board of directors).
The
initial capital of the company was 25 billion rials divided into
250,000 shares each worth 100,000 rials. The legal address of the
company was announced as: Mostazafan and Janbazan Foundation, Arjantin
(Argentine) Square, opposite Beihaqi ride and park facilities. Three
routes had been proposed for the Tehran-North free way of which
Tehran-Chaloos route via Kan, Souleqan, Do-Ab, Pol Zanguleh, Marzanabad
and Chaloos was chosen.
At
the beginning point, Tehran-North free way is connected to Hemmat
highway through an uneven crossing and after running for 121 km,
it reaches Chaloos through another flat crossing. Besides, four
other uneven crossings can connect Marzanabad to Kelardasht and
Nazir plain or link Do-AB to Shahrestanak and Ahaar or Pol-e Zanguleh
to Yush, Baladeh and Siah Bisheh.
To
justify the project, many reasons were cited by proponents of the
free way. For instance, it was said at that time that the free way
could be built in less than five years at a total cost of 100 million
dollars. The justification for the return of the capital investment
was that according to 1992 statistics some 4,200 vehicles traveled
on Tehran-Chaloos road per day, and since the new free way would
cut the time of travel from Tehran to northern Iran by two and a
half hours, once completed, it could attract 80 percent of cars
traveling on Tehran-Chaloos road, 40 percent of those traveling
on Rud-e Hen-Amol road and 25 percent of small and large vehicles
traveling on Qazvin-Rasht road, thus raising the number of cars
making trips through the newly established free way to 9,700 per
day.
Architects
of the project reached the conclusion that if the number of trips
on the free way increased by five percent annually, the number of
vehicles traveling on the free way would exceed 14,330 by the year
2000. It was also said at the time that given the advantages of
the free way for trips to seaside and other Caspian Sea cities,
if the number of such trips increased by 20 percent annually and
trips to and from the newly independent republics of the former
Soviet Union increased by five percent, the number of vehicles traveling
on this route would rise to more than 18,000 per day by 2000. They
also proposed that cars traveling on the free way pay different
tolls depending on their type and size. Other proposals were also
made in this connection, suggesting that motorcars pay 30,000 rials
as tolls for using this free way. Based on such estimates, the proponents
of the project hoped that they could return the initial capital
investment in less than 15 years.
Those
involved in the project offered other statistics in a bid to obtain
the approval of the experts. They put the annual growth of traffic
on the road at 10 percent, of the tolls and other duties at 10 percent
and of the banking interests at 18 percent. Furthermore, they proposed
that five hectares of land along the free way be set aside for construction
of five townships in exchange for reducing duties on traveling cars
by 35 percent.
Other
specifications of Tehran-North free way
The
maximum slope of the route is six percent. There are 40 twin tunnels
(80 tunnels) with lengths ranging from 100 meters to 6.6 kilometers.
The total length of the tunnels is 57-60 kilometers. There are also
four kilometers of overpasses and seven uneven crossings. The maximum
height of the road from the sea level is 2,490 meters. The average
speed of cars traveling on the road is 88 kilometers an hour and
it takes light motorcars 1.32 hours on the average to reach Chaloos
from Tehran via this road while the figure for heavy duty vehicles
is three hours. The road is over 36 meters wide and has two main
lines for traveling from and to Tehran and a sideline (at sloping
points) for low speed vehicles. The number of cars traveling on
the road every day has been estimated at 25,000 and it is expected
that the project will be implemented in a seven-year period, starting
1997. The investor and executor of the project is the Tehran-North
Free Way Company affiliated to the Mostazafan and Janbazan Foundation.
According to the plan, 30 percent of the expenses will be obtained
from the tolls while the remaining 70 percent will be met by the
government as subsidies. However, because the government failed
to pay the said amount, it promised to grant plots of land along
the route of the road but studies conducted later showed that there
existed no suitable lands with economical or environmental justifications
along the route. Subsequently, the government has undertaken to
grant 50 million square meters of land in north Tehran between Karaj
and Lavasanat regions and in the northern provinces of Gilan and
Mazandaran with a value equivalent to the amount of subsidies it
was supposed to pay to the Tehran-North Free Way Company. The company
in turn has been allowed to exploit the road for 15 years from the
date of its completion and then hand it over to the Ministry of
Roads and Transportation after carrying out renovation and repair
works.
Supplementary
plans of the Tehran-North free way
These
projects include converting the Astara-Gonbad road along the Caspian
Sea coastline into a four line road, Construction of Gajereh-Dizin
and Aahar-Shahrestanak axes and their connection to the Tehran-North
free way through an uneven crossing, and carrying out township building
projects.
Features
of Tehran-North free way
These
features include cutting of the distance between Tehran and Chaloos
from 200 km to 121 km, ensuring safe trips to Caspian Sea coastal
towns, expanding south-north axis, providing speedy access to Central
Asia, reducing air pollution by cutting the time of trips from the
capital city to the northern parts of the country, raising the quality
of the road, bringing economic and cultural development to the Caspian
Sea region, creating tourist attractions as well as job opportunities,
reducing the risk of damage to life and property and cutting the
time of travel from five hours to 1.5 hours. On the other hand,
this free way has been defined as north-south axis in the country's
free way networks and is to be extended from Chaloos to Tehran,
Saveh, Arak, Andimeshk, Imam Khomeini port and eventually to Bandar
Abbas.
Environmental
issues
A
major part of Tehran-North free way passes through central Alborz
protected zones. This region has been protected firmly despite limitations
for the past 35 years. Construction of the free way may result in
the disconnection of wildlife habitats, outbreak of animal diseases
in the region, release of a great deal of pollutant substances in
the air and increasing the vulnerability of durable ecosystems surrounding
the townships that are to be built. This protected region stretches
in an area of 339,000 hectares that is entirely under the protection
of the Department of Environment in Tehran.
Geological
issues
The
region located between Tehran and Chaloos is one of the main earthquake-prone
areas in Iran. There are other dangers too, such as land slope.
Therefore, there are concerns about vulnerability of the free way
as tunnels are to be built along the route.
RAILWAY
Dr.
Rahman Dadman, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport and Managing
Director of the State Railway Company gave an account of the performance
of the Railway Company over the past two years under President Mohammad
Khatami's Administration as follows:
"The
total of goods transited via railway last year reached 1.52 billion
tons/kilometers, showing a 20 percent increase. (In 1997, the Railway
Company carried 1.13 billion tons/kilometer of cargoes from Iranian
ports to the Central Asian countries and Europe.)
The
export of these goods increased following the incentive policies
enforced by the government to promote export of non-oil commodities.
Some 1,071,225 tons of goods were exported abroad by railway from
March to August 1999, registering a 550 percent increase compared
to the corresponding period in 1998. He said over 70 percent of
goods transported by railway last year were non-oil commodities.
In 1997, the Railway Company of the Islamic Republic of Iran transited
1,000 tons of cotton and the figure has risen to 400,000 tons, indicating
diversity of cargo transport, use of new routes for transport of
commodities and attraction of new customers.
The
volume of goods transported by the State Railway Company in the
first month of the current Iranian year (beginning March 1999) increased
by 15 percent and the figure is expected to further grow by the
end of the year due to the incentive policies implemented by the
government to promote non-oil exports and to new contracts signed
(for transport of goods).
The
managing director of the State Railway Company put the total of
goods transported by road, marine and air fleets last year at 60
billion tons/kilometer and said the share of the railway was 13.5
billion tons/kilometer.
Last
year, the deputy roads and transportation minister said, the Railway
Company managed to register a 10 percent growth in this sector by
replacing 250 again wagons with 316 new ones. He said that 9.7 passengers
were transferred by railway last year, of whom 40 to fifty percent
traveled on Tehran-Mashhad route. He added that the Railway Company
of the Islamic Republic of Iran put into operation 290 kilometers
of Chadormalu-Ardakan rail tracks, one lane of the two lane track
between Tehran and Qom and the Jajrom lane at a total cost of 400
billion rials.
Dadman
predicted that by the end of the current Iranian year 400 kilometers
of railroad tracks including the second Tehran-Qom line, and 250
kilometers of Tehran-Mashhad double line track would be inaugurated
at a total cost of 500 billion rials from public and domestic railway
industries funds.
According
to Dadman, the average construction of new railroad tracks which
stood at 150 kilometers during the first and second five year development
plans has reached 400 kilometers this year.
The
managing director of the State Railway Company added that in order
to increase efficiency of railroad networks, ensure traffic safety
and accelerate train trips, work has already started to install
safety electronic signs along various routes including the one between
Tehran and Mashhad. Some 12 stations along this route are to be
equipped with electronic safety signs by German experts, 13 stations
by domestic experts and 27 stations mainly located between Shahroud
and Mashhad by Indian experts.
He
predicted that altogether 15 stations along the Tehran-Mashhad route
will have been equipped with electronic signs by the end of the
current calendar year.
He
stated that domestic experts have acquired necessary technological
know-how for equipping railway stations with electronic signs.
He
said that the State Railway Company is now capable of exporting
technical and engineering services to foreign countries and the
company experts have now participated in international enders announced
by Libya and Syria.
He
said that the State Railway Company would try to confine technological
know-how needed for equipping railway stations with electronic signs
to the purchase of parts and systems.
The
deputy minister of roads and transportation said that over the past
two years, 65 locomotives have been renovated by domestic experts,
186 locomotives have undergone basic repair works, 7,000 cargo cars
been overhauled, 13,000 undergone annual repair and 850 cargo cars
been renovated.
In
the same period, Dadman said, 461 kilometers of nationwide railroad
network have been improved and 191 kilometers renovated.
He
said that such repair work done by domestic experts saved the country
an average of 30 million dollars in foreign exchange per year.
At
present, due to the technological progress of Iranian industries,
995 percent of parts used in cargo cars, 50 percent of most frequently
used parts of locomotives and many other railway related equipment
were now being manufactured domestically.
He
said, "Before 1996, 150 million dollars in foreign exchange was
allocated for the Railway Company every year but in the years 1997
and 1998 the company received a total of 80 million dollars. Despite
the fact that some equipment needed by the company is made domestically,
there exist foreign exchange shortages in this sector and we hope
that the company's needs for hard currencies would be met."
He
said, "A 300 million dollar contract has been signed with France
to purchase 100 new locomotives in order to equip the country's
railway transportation sector. The locomotives are to be delivered
to Iran four years after the contract goes into effect."
Dadman
said that under the contract 25 of the 100 locomotives would be
imported to the country and the rest would be manufactured inside
the country after transfer of necessary technological know-how.
MARINE
The
Islamic Republic Shipping Lines carried 11.5 million tons/rent of
goods last year, of which 10.4 million ton/rent were transported
by Iranian ships and 1.1. Million tons/rent by chartered ships.
The figure showed a decrease of 21.8 million tons compared to the
similar period in 1997. Of these cargoes, 8.4 million tons were
imported goods, 0.7 million tons/rent exported goods and 2.4 million
tons were transport of international commodities.
The
transport of exported and international goods last year registered
a 91.2 and 230.8 percent increase respectively compared to the year
1997. The total of goods (non-oil) imported to the country last
year weighed 15,232 tons of which 14,690 tons arrived at Iranian
ports. Of the total imported goods, 8,370,000 tons were transported
by the Islamic Republic Shipping Lines and its subsidiary companies.
The shipping company also managed to reduce the average age of 22
out of its 78 ships to five years from 17 years. The company also
inked a contract for purchase of a number of ships and for renovation
of some others. To this end, it purchased four 72,000 ton Panamax
ships from South Korea, five 22,000 ton multipurpose ships from
China and four container ships from South Korea which will be delivered
to Iran by the end of 2000.
The
Islamic Republic Shipping Lines has signed a contract with an Iranian
shipbuilding company to buy six 22,000 ton multipurpose ships. It
is to be noted that the total displacement capacity of 82 ocean
going ships belonging to the Islamic Republic Shipping Lines stands
at 2,420,000 tons.
The
history of entertainment trips in Iran dates back to ancient times
and has its roots in religion and national traditions. As for transportation
of passengers by ships, there are eight ferry boats in the southern
waters of Iran which carry 150,000 passengers between Iranian ports
and foreign countries. The number of passengers traveling by ships
between Iranian ports and Islands in the Persian Gulf amounts to
one million a year. The Islamic Republic Shipping Line with 120
ocean going ships is capable of carrying 2.5 million tons of container
and bulk cargoes annually.
The
history of entertainment trips in Iran dates back to ancient times
and has its roots in the religion and national traditions. The existence
of unique sights on the coasts and islands of the Caspian Sea, Persian
Gulf and the Gulf of Oman have paved the way for trips by ship.
Despite this, in 1997, the super modern ship `Mirza Kuchak Khan'
displaced only 20,000 passenger. At present, eight ferry boats are
carrying passengers and cargoes in the southern waters of the country.
It is to be noted that traditional motor launches used to carry
passengers between Iranian ports and islands until 1986 but later
ferry boats with capacities of 200 passengers and 300 to 500 tons
of cargoes were used for voyages between Bushehr port, Kharg Island,
Bandar Abbas port and Dubai (in the United Arab Emirates). In 1993,
vessels with a speed three times as many as that of previous ships
started operation between the southern Iranian port city of Khorramshahr
and Kuwait. In 1996, two speed ferry boats capable of carrying 10
vehicles, joined this fleet.
The
statistics available show that about 150,000 passengers travel by
ship between Iranian port cities and foreign countries annually.
This number amounts to one million a year during trips between Iranian
port cities and islands in the Persian Gulf.
According
to experts marine transportation accounts only for three percent
of transportation sector in the country. The amount of cargoes carried
by Iranian commercial fleet in the first half of 1378 (1999) stood
around 1.164 million tons.
Engineer
Ahad Mohammadi, managing director of the Islamic Republic Shipping
Line says: "This company with 120 ocean going ships and capacity
of transporting 2.5 million tons of container and bulk cargoes per
year, has acquired valuable experiences in transporting cargoes
to and from Islamic states. By purchasing new ships, the company
intends to increase it cargo displacement capacity to three million
tons a year soon.
The
share of our country in the international marine transportation
industry is very meager and for this reason the idea of increasing
the capacity of Iranian marine fleet should be taken into consideration.
Legal
Problems Impeding the Activities of Private Marine Transportation
Companies
At
present, the private sector is not able to buy ships, register them
in Iran or move them under the Iranian flag. This is why, an investor
interested in activities in marine transportation industry has to
buy ships without access to banking facilities or foreign exchange
at the rate determined at the Stock Foreign Exchange, and to fly
the flag of a foreign country like Panama on the ship and use it
within the Iranian territorial waters as a foreign one. Even the
Mostazafan and Janbazan Foundation (Foundation for the Oppressed
and the Disabled) which is active in this field has not yet been
able to use Iranian flag on its own ships.
The
private sector as one of the three legal sectors of the country
should be able to make use of the existing facilities and to engage
in healthy competition with the public sector.
AIRPORTS
The
number of operational airports increased to 227 in 1996 with a total
capacity of 16 million passengers. Iran's international airports
are Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport and airports in Esfahan,
Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz and Bandar Abbas.
Iran's
airlines carried 5,820 million passengers both in domestic and international
flights in 1995. The international Imam Khomeini airport, now under
construction in southern Tehran, is expected to be inaugurated in
the near future. The airport will carry 4.5 million passengers and
transport 115,000 tonnes of goods.
Iran's
first airline, the national Iranian Airline (HOMA), was established
in 1994. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the airline's name was
changed into "Airline of the Islamic Republic of Iran" (Iran Air).
Asseman Airline was established in 1980 tooperate domestic flights.
Iran Air Tour, Kish Air, Saha, Seha and Safiran were all established
in 1992. Most foreign airlines have their bureaus in Iran.
PRIVATISATION
AND STRUCTURE OF IRAN'S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Iran's
land transportation fleet with 236,000 vehicles is in charge of
carrying 76 percent of the cargo and 24 percent of the passenger
loads in the country. The railroad network is also equipped with
500 locomotives, 15,000 cargo and 850 passenger wagons. Meanwhile,
air transportation is carried out through 28 domestic airports working
round the clock, 7 international airports and 6 exclusive bases
belonging to the National Iranian Oil Company. Some 5.8 million
passengers within and 1.4 outside the country are using the Iranian
air transportation facilities. A total of 65 international flights
are being made to 23 destinations throughout the world weekly. Of
the total activities in the transportation sector, marine transportation
has a share of 85 percent while those of the road, railway and air
transportation are 13, 1.7 and 0.3 percent respectively.
President
Structure of Iran's Transportation System
The
Ministry of Road and Transportation is responsible for building
roads, railway tracks, airports and ports in the country and in
charge of the road, air and marine transportation (except for the
shipping line which falls within the category of the Commerce Ministry).
The ministry is also in charge of making plans for expansion of
facilities in various transportation areas based on defensive priorities
and economic and social development schemes. The average share of
various areas of transportation in Iran's foreign trade is as follows:
|
Marine
transportation
|
85
percent
|
|
Land
transportation
|
13
percent
|
|
Railroad
transportation
|
1.7
percent
|
|
Air
transportation
|
0.3
percent
|
Transaction
Process and Status Quo
|
Region
|
Average
weight transaction with 15% coefficient
|
|
Eastern
Europe
|
1.6
million tons
|
|
Commonwealth
of Independent States
|
0.9
million tons
|
|
Afghanistan
and Pakistan
|
0.15
million tons
|
|
Far
East
|
1.8
million tons
|
|
Southeast
Asia
|
2.6
million tons
|
|
Pacific
|
0.9
million tons
|
|
Africa
|
0.4
million tons
|
|
Persian
Gulf littoral states
|
1.5
million tons
|
|
South
America
|
2.9
million tons
|
|
North
America
|
2.7
million tons
|
Administration
of Land Transportation Network
The
Organization for Transportation and State Terminals is in charge
of the land transportation. In addition to its headquarters in Tehran,
the organization has a representative office in every province that
supervises over transportation related affairs. The maintenance
of free ways is also among the responsibilities of the organization.
Iran's
international land borders are currently as follows:
Bazargan,
Sero, Astara, Bile Savar, Inche-Boroun, Bajgiran, Lotfabad, Sarakhs,
Khosravi, Jolfa, Noordooz, Mirjaveh and Taybad.
The
land transportation fleet is equipped with some 236,000 vehicles
that carry the 76 percent of the cargo and 24 percent of the passenger
loads in the country.
Railroad
Network
The
State Railways Company of the Islamic Republic of Iran is in charge
of the operation and maintenance of the railroads in the country.
It has a staff of about 30,000 people who work in the central headquarters
and 13 other operational zones. The State Railways Company operates
under the supervision of the Road and Transportation Ministry.
Iran
has a total network of 6,500 km of railroads of which 140 km is
electrified. Jolfa, Razi, Bandar Imam and Bandar Abbas are border
points where commodities are being carried through railroads.
Iran's
railway network is equipped with about 500 locomotives of which
140 are operational, with 15,000 cargo and about 850 passenger wagons.
About 23 million tons of cargo and 10,000 passengers are being transported
by railroads annually.
Iran
is connected through railroad to the Republic of Azarbaijan via
Jolfa, to Turkmenistan through Sarakhs, to Turkey via Razi and to
Pakistan through Mirjaveh. Extension of Iran's railroad network
to Bandar Imam, Bandar Abbas and Khorramshahr port city connects
the state railways network to the international shipping lines.
Administration
of Air Transportation Network
There
are over 28 domestic airports in the country that are operating
round the clock with 7 international airports and 6 exclusive bases
of the National Iranian Oil Company. These is also another airport
in Tehran's suburbs (Payam Airport), which is affiliated to the
Ministry of Post, Telephone and Telegraph. Airports in Tehran, Isfahan,
Shiraz, Mashhad, Tabriz, Bandar Abbas and Ahvaz are open to international
traffic. A number of 8 million passengers inside and 1.7 million
outside the country use the air transportation facilities annually.
Iran's
most expanded and the sole flag carrier is Iran Air (Homa) whose
share in transportation of passengers in the Iranian calendar year
1377 (1998-99) was 5.8 million within and 1.4 million outside the
country. Iran Air makes 65 international flights to 23 destinations
in the world weekly. Major international fights are being made from
Tehran airport as well as Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, Tabriz, Bandar
Abbas and Ahvaz airports.
Administration
of Marine Transportation Network
The
Lake Urmia is the main sea route for transportation of cargo and
passenger in the East and West Azarbaijan provinces. However, the
tourist attractions of the lake are much more important than its
role in the sea transportation.
There
are two major shipping lines in the Caspian Sea; the Baltic Sea-Volga-Caspian
and the Black Sea-Volga-Caspian.
The
Volga-Baltic Canal is open for five months in the hot season while
Volgaden Canal is open to navigation for 7 months. The Caspian Sea
plays a share of about 2 percent in the total international transportation
of goods in the country.
Persian
Gulf and Gulf of Oman
The
main routes are Bandar Abbas and Bandar Imam to Europe, Asia, America;
Bandar Abbas to Dubai; Khorramshahr to Kuwait and Bushehr to Qatar.
Iran
is also connected to Western Europe, the Mediterranean and Central
Asia through combined land and sea transportation facilities.
Ports
and Shipping Organisation
The
Ports and Shipping Organization operates under the supervision of
Road and Transportation Ministry and is in charge of the administration
of trade ports in the country. The head of the organization is a
deputy road and transportation minister. The organization has a
personnel of 6,000 who are operating in the organization's branch
offices in Bandar Imam, Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, Khorramshahr,
Abadan, Anzali, Nowshahr, Urmia and its headquarters.
Administration
of ports and marine installations, building and management of ports
facilities, formulation of ports and marine regulations, administration
of loading and unloading operations, installation of navigation
devices and inspection of ships are among various responsibilities
of the organization.
Specifications
of Transportation Services
- Transportation
services play a significant role in meeting demands of people
and their travel both inside and outside the country. Those transportation
services that embody the entire population are of government nature.
- Transportation
services highly influence the country's economy, as they should
meet public demands and help in distribution of industrial products.
- Establishments
such as airports, ports, railroads and international terminals
for foreign trade are vitally important for the preservation of
relations with foreign countries and are being assessed as important
means in the foreign policy of every country.
- Some
transportation services demand heavy costs and are in need of
constant updating on the basis of modern technology.
- Transportation
services are being rendered through various mediums such as ports,
shipping, airlines, airports, railroads, forwarding companies,
warehouses companies, buses and taxis.
Government's
Necessary Controls (Roads and Transportation Ministry)
Transportation
services are mainly handled by the private sector in many economically
developed countries. Although interference of the public sector
is necessary for offering better constant services, however, government's
supervision should be conducted in the following areas:
- Compilation
of the general transportation policies of the state
- Guaranteeing
reliable constant services
- Keeping
prices at suitable level
- Guaranteeing
security and quality of transportation services
- Coordination
of transportation services
- Technological
progress in transportation area
- Compilation
of transportation regulations
- Supervision
and promotion of transportation jobs
- Pooling
transportation data and information
- Caring
for international transportation relations
- Formulation
of technical standards in transportation field
POWER
Electric
Power
Iran
has installed power generation capacity of about 27 gigawatts (GW),
with around 64% of thermal plants natural gas-fired. With power
demand growing rapidly, Iran is adding significant generation capacity
-- both thermal and hydroelectric. The largest hydro project is
the 2,000-MW Godar-e Landar dam.
A
number of new power plants have come online recently in recent years
in Iran, including the Mitsubishi-built, 2,000-MW Shahid Rai thermal
power station in Qazvin, a 1,290-MW combined-cycle plant in Rasht,
and a doubling of the Tabriz power plant's capacity to 1,500 MW.
Iran continues to add power generating capacity at a rapid pace.
According to Minister of Energy Habibollah Bitaraf, Iran's annual
power consumption is growing and Iran's power generation sector
will require billions of dollars in foreign investment over the
next few years. Iran has received offers for investment in the form
of loans and build-operate-and-transfer-contracts (BOT). BOT contracts
allow the investing company to build and operate the generating
facility for a period of 15-20 years, after which time the plant
is turned over to the Energy Ministry. Negotiations have taken place
with international energy firms on expansion plans for power plants
at Bandar Abbas, Shaid Rajai, Alborz, Ramin, and Kerman.
Nuclear
Currently,
Iran has five small nuclear reactors, one in Tehran and four in
Isfahan. Iran claims that its nuclear power is for peaceful purposes
and that it will help free up oil and gas resources for export,
thus generating additional hard-currency revenues. The U.S. State
Department frequently has stated US opposition to Iran's nuclear
program. The United States has argued that Iran has sufficient oil
and gas reserves for power generation, and that nuclear reactors
are expensive, unnecessary, and could be used for military purposes.
Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Work
on Bushehr had begun in 1974, but was halted (80% complete) following
the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In January 1995, progress on Bushehr
resumed when Russia signed a $780-million contract to complete the
facility. The Russian deal calls for completion of the two 1,300-MW
pressurized-light water units as well as the supply of two modern
VVER-440 units. The United States strongly opposes the project and
has in the past provided Russia with information pointing to the
existence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program. Despite this, the
Russians have proceeded, although slowly, with work on Bushehr.
A final completion date currently remains uncertain.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Telephones
- main lines in use: 7 million (1998 est.)
Telephones
- mobile cellular: 265,000 (August 1998)
Telephone
system: inadequate but currently being modernized and expanded with
the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the
volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service
to several thousand villages, not presently connected domestic:
as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system since 1994,
the number of long distance channels in the microwave radio relay
trunk has grown substantially;many villages have been brought into
the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems have approximately
doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular subscribers are being
served; moreover, the technical level of the system has been raised
by the installation of thousands of digital switches international:
HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan;
submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link
Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans Asia Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line
runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan
with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations
- 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat;Internet service available but limited
to electronic mail to promote Iranian culture.
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