Uzbekistan and Türkiye have agreed to launch regular container trains along the Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Iran–Türkiye route, Upl.uz reported Friday, citing Amir Sultonov, head of a department at the Uzbek Foreign Ministry.

The agreement was reached during the fourth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in Ankara, chaired by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The new route is seen as a key element in the logistics chain linking Central Asian countries to European markets and is aimed at strengthening the resilience of regional trade.

Officials said the rail route is expected to accelerate export shipments, reduce logistics costs for businesses, and improve the stability and predictability of cargo transport.

The Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Iran–Türkiye transport corridor is part of initiatives to revive the Silk Road in a modern format. Delivery times along this route could be almost half as long as the maritime route through the Suez Canal, making it more attractive for exporters and logistics companies.

The project is backed by a multilateral protocol signed on Nov. 3, 2023, by the relevant transport ministries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Türkiye.