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World
Iran and China have increased freight train frequency between Xi'an and Tehran to bypass tightened US naval blockades.
The number of cargo trains running between China's Xi'an and Iran's capital Tehran has jumped from one per week to one every three or four days since the US tightened its naval blockade on April 13, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg. The shift marks a growing reliance on overland rail routes as a lifeline for Iran's economy under mounting American pressure.
Tehran is using the railway corridor to blunt the impact of the US naval campaign, which has sharply reduced commercial shipping to and from Iranian ports. American forces in the Gulf and the Arabian Sea are conducting inspections and diverting vessels, choking maritime trade.
The rail line runs through Central Asia as part of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, a network Beijing has built to link China with Europe and the Middle East via land corridors. Some estimates suggest the route could provide Iran with an economic buffer, particularly as security risks rise in the Strait of Hormuz, where military tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated in recent weeks.
China remains Iran's largest trading partner and a key buyer of Iranian oil despite long-standing US sanctions. Over the past years, the two countries have deepened economic and strategic ties, including a long-term partnership agreement covering energy, infrastructure, and transport. However, rail freight cannot fully replace maritime shipping, as the volume of goods moved by train remains far smaller than what giant commercial vessels can carry.
Despite the rail link's importance, Iran faces significant logistical obstacles. The route is long, crosses multiple countries, and involves differing rail systems and infrastructure standards. Rail transport is also relatively more expensive than sea freight, especially for heavy goods and raw materials.
Even so, Tehran appears to be betting on this option as a practical way to ease the effects of the US blockade, while trying to keep trade flowing with its allies and economic partners. The Iranian economy continues to suffer severe strain from Western sanctions and the naval siege, alongside ongoing military tensions in the Gulf. Washington says the blockade aims to "strangle" Iran's economy and force concessions, while Tehran works to develop alternative trade routes to avoid complete isolation from global markets.
