IRAN-CHINA RAILWAY: ‘The Steel Arteries of Independence’

As argued in a report published by Foreign Policy and authored by Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, the coordinated strikes by the US and Israel on Iran’s nuclear facilities are not merely focused on the physical sites or centrifuges, but rather aim at regime change, and this assertion holds validity. Nevertheless, this perspective would be insufficient, perhaps even narrow, if it fails to incorporate the broader geopolitical and economic conflict that lies at the core of the US struggle for global dominance, if not survival. For nations like Israel and the United States, Iran’s nuclear program is framed as a matter of national security—they are opposed to Iran’s acquisition of anything nuclear, may it be civilian or military in nature; therefore, it follows that they would advocate for the Islamic Republic of Iran to modify its behavior in accordance with their interests, with the understanding that Trump would subsequently lift sanctions and facilitate Iran’s reintegration into the global community. In other words, a smoke screen to hide the elephant in the room.

Nonetheless, it is reasonable to presume that astute geopoliticians or economists would seek to contribute to and challenge US motivations for attacking Iran by examining the wider regional context, which encompasses Iran’s geography and economy, as well as the opportunities it presents for significant actors such as China or Russia, amongst others. Today, we are featuring a piece from The Eurasian Times, which manages to encapsulate with great dexterity the very essence of what defense and foreign affairs specialist Ritu Sharma described as a “geopolitical coup”, after the first freight train from China wheelled into Iran, on May 25, 2025, “flying in the face of American sanctions.” 

Since Trump has pledged to reinstate a campaign of “maximum pressure” aimed at isolating Iran from the international economy and reducing its oil exports to zero, it would be naive to believe that POTUS is unaware that ninety per cent of Iran’s exports to China are oil-based products such as petrochemicals, petroleum products and gases, or mining-based products, and that this relaunched route, whose first phase was launched on July 21, 2024,  offers a vital continental solution to keep bilateral trade from the tentacles of US hegemony. Through the incorporation of Iran into its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China establishes a foundation for enhanced political and economic relationships, which may result in serious strategic advantages across a region that has historically been dominated by US influence, something the US and, to some degree, Israel is not prepared to let go without a fight. The cargo train arrived at Iran’s largest dry port, Aprin, near Tehran, after travelling from Xi’an, China, using a rail link from Iran to China via Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, which is set to cut delivery time from 30-40 days by sea (notwithstanding possible delays with Houthis attacks) to just 15 days by land. 

The trade railway between China and Iran presents an alternative founded on steel and strategic planning. It is a component of the Five Nations Railway Corridor (FNRC). This 2,100 km megaproject railway aims to connect China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, transforming energy logistics, enhancing economic connectivity, and facilitating cross-border finance. As oil tankers are redirected onto railway tracks and financial transactions increasingly favor the yuan, this initiative transcends the concept of a mere rail line—it signifies a reconfiguration of global power dynamics. The significance of this land-based energy route connecting the Middle East to East Asia has the potential to trigger an increase in regional rail diplomacy across Central Asia.

Video: China-Iran Railway Launches Oil Route Bypasses U.S.-Dominated Maritime Corridors (Source: Top 10 Discoveries Official)

“Iran is a key access point to the Middle East”, wrote the South China Morning Post in a detailed report titled, “Belt and Road Initiative, The railway to Iran”

The rail project between China and Iran offers a strategic and very competitive alternative to the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which aims to position Israel as a trade hub in West Asia. IMEC starts in India, passes through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, and connects to Israeli territories and Europe via the Mediterranean.

Essentially, the Iran-China rail initiative represents a key strategic corridor which directly challenges the United States and Israel’s interests in IMEC, ultimately influencing the future global order. From this perspective, it becomes evident why the United States and Israel are willing to resort to lethal measures and destruction to exert control over Iran, all under the guise of a contrived nuclear threat…

Ritu Sharma reports for The Eurasian Times...

HISTORIC! First Freight Train From China Wheels Into Iran, Flying In The Face Of American Sanctions

In what could only be termed as a geopolitical coup, the first freight train from China rolled into Iran this week. Flying in the face of the US sanctions aimed at crippling Tehran’s oil trade and isolating Beijing, the rail line will not only boost trade between the two countries, but would also undermine America’s influence in the region.

The project has its genesis in the USD 400 billion economic agreement inked between China and Iran in 2021 as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative. It is a testament to the China-Iran nexus that is getting stronger after strategically trapping the US Navy in the Red Sea. The new rail route shortens the delivery times for Iranian oil exports and helps China evade the Malacca Strait choke point.

With no US military presence along the rail line, Tehran can export oil and import goods from Beijing without Washington’s prying eyes.

By integrating Iran into its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China lays the groundwork for deeper political and economic ties that can translate into strategic leverage over an entire region that has traditionally been a US sphere of influence.

Both Beijing and Tehran share a strategic view to undermine US global hegemony, and both have encountered tensions, sanctions, and pressures originating from Washington.

A relatively strong and independent Iran in the Persian Gulf would help China safeguard its interests in the region, while also securing energy sources and establishing its footprint in the Middle East.

The cargo train arrived at Iran’s largest Aprin dry port, near Tehran, from Xi’an province in China. The rail route between the two countries would cut down delivery time from 30-40 days by sea to just 15 days by land. The Iran-China freight train will travel from Iran to China, passing through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and then from China to Iran.

The CEO of Aprin stated that the dry port is crucial to Iran’s export strategies, which aim to reduce transportation costs for its goods. News reports have labelled these tracks as “steel arteries of independence” that Washington cannot patrol. Moreover, this rail link would soon help Chinese goods travel faster to Europe.

This rail route is the first phase of the China-Europe rail corridor. It would decrease the time required for Chinese exports to reach European countries.

Officials from the national railways of Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey held a meeting in Tehran on May 12 to discuss a rail network connecting the six countries to Europe. These countries have agreed to impose competitive tariffs on these rail services, aiming to accelerate regional trade and connectivity.

The other significant advantage of the rail corridor is its higher security compared to the sea route, as the Houthis have turned the Red Sea into a battle zone, driving up shipping costs. Since November 2023, the Yemen-based Houthis have conducted nearly 200 maritime attacks, striking more than 30 merchant ships, including at least 10 oil tankers in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean.

These attacks target civilian entities, including US commercial ships, and undermine freedom of navigation and global trade, and have decreased Red Sea transit by 70 percent since October 2023, according to the 2025 Worldwide Threat Assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency.

Iran sits on the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and, from there, to the Arabian Sea. The strategic partnership between the two countries enables freedom of navigation through the Persian Gulf. This helps China pursue diversification of its energy sources.

China fears that as trade wars with the US intensify, the United States may pressure the UAE and Saudi Arabia to reduce their oil supply to Beijing. For China, Iran is the only country in the Middle East that will not stop selling oil to Beijing if requested by the US. This is in contrast to countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, and Kuwait, which are within the US sphere of influence.

This development will have implications for other South Asian countries like India, which has an agreement in place with Iran to invest in Chabahar Port and construct a rail line connecting the southeastern port city of Chabahar to the eastern city of Zahedan. The rail link was designed to connect India to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia.

However, India’s growing proximity to the US has put the project on the back burner. However, the work to expand the Chabahar port’s capacity and to connect the port to the Iranian railway network by completing 700 km of tracks to connect Chabahar and Zahedan has picked up pace. Both projects are expected to be complete by mid-2026.

India views the shifting of power balances in the region as, for the first time, China has the opportunity to connect the Chabahar port to Gwadar, a critical hub in the BRI program. This would strengthen China’s ‘string of pearls’ and weaken India’s strategic plans in the region.

If Beijing manages to connect Gwadar with Chabahar port, it will have a ‘golden ring’ – encompassing China, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, and Turkey— in place. The BRI will help China connect to Iran and from there to Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

China-Iran Rail Route Materialises Despite ‘Maximum Pressure’

The inauguration of the rail route has come at a time when the US is going after the Iran-China nexus by imposing sanctions on China and Iran-based entities and individuals that support Iran’s ballistic missile program.

The US has been systematically targeting the Iran-China trade. On March 20, the US sanctioned Huaying Huizhou Daya Bay Petrochemical Terminal Storage, an oil terminal in China, for buying and storing Iranian crude oil from a sanctioned vessel. This was followed by April 1 sanctions against six entities and two individuals based in Iran, the UAE, and China, who were involved in the procurement of key components on behalf of entities connected to Iran’s UAV and ballistic missile programs.

In its statement, the US State Department said: “Iran remains heavily reliant on China to conduct its malign activities in the Middle East. This is another example of how the CCP and China-based companies provide key economic and technical support to Iran and its proxies, driving regional instability and threatening US partners and allies.”

The US has termed the campaign against Iran as one of “maximum pressure”. Washington is focused on scuttling the progress made by Tehran in its ballistic-missile program and its drone program.

“The United States will use all available means, including sanctions on entities based in third countries, to expose and disrupt Iran’s schemes to procure equipment and items supporting its ballistic missile program, which destabilises the Middle East and beyond,” the State Department statement said.

Iran is sceptical about striking a deal with the US, and the latter is unlikely to retract its sanctions after rolling them out.

Rail Link or Backdoor Empowering Iran

By relying on overland routes less susceptible to naval interdictions and maritime pressures, Iran can better navigate the restrictions imposed by US sanctions. This enhances its economic sovereignty and diversifies its export channels.

Iran’s trade with China is going to have a significant uptick. Its oil will have a top buyer ready, whereas it will have access to high-end products that have been out of its reach due to the Western sanctions.

China, on the other hand, has been helping Iran escape its US-imposed economic isolation while gaining access to the Middle East and Europe. An economically connected Iran will be less susceptible to diplomatic pressure to curb its nuclear development. This would increase challenges for Israel, one of America’s closest allies.

See more news from The Eurasian Times

READ MORE IRAN NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire IRAN Files

SUPPORT OUR INDEPENDENT MEDIA PLATFORM – BECOME A MEMBER @21WIRE.TV

VISIT OUR TELEGRAM CHANNEL