Iraq is close to reaching a deal with Iran to build a railway system connecting the southern port city of Basra with the town of Shalamjah, just over the border, the government said this week.
The railway will link Iran with Syria and the Mediterranean, a long-held ambition of Tehran's, according to Iranian officials.
“Negotiations with Iran to build a railway system between Basra and Shalamjah has reached its final stages. In addition, we have signed 15 agreements and memorandums of understanding with Jordan and Egypt regarding energy and transportation lines,” said a statement from the office of Iraq’s Prime Minister, Mustafa Al Kadhimi.
Iraq’s cabinet approved funding for the project last month that is expected to run for about 30 kilometres and will cost approximately $150 million.
Iran's Mostazafan Foundation (MFJ), a semi-governmental charity that specialises in construction, will be responsible for the funding and execution of the entire project in Iran and Iraq.
Iranian state media reported that the railway link on the Iranian side has already been completed.
Iran proposed the idea in 2018, saying it “hopes to build a connection between the two cities".
If the project succeeds, then it would be the first rail connection between the neighbouring countries.
It would also improve ties and communication not only between Baghdad and Tehran but will bring Damascus closer.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani praised the development and said the region will “witness a fundamental change”.
"This will be a big change and Iran's railway will be connected to Iraq and Syria, and in fact to the Mediterranean, which is very important," he said during a video conference last week.
In March, Iran’s Transport and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami held talks with his Iraqi counterpart Nasser Al Shibli and said that a transportation link between the two is “vital for trade”.
Mr Eslami said Iran is ready “to strengthen transport relations between the two neighbouring countries in order to improve mutual economic cooperation,” according to a statement carried by Iran’s state news agency, IRNA.
Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjidi, said the railway will make Baghdad a “regional transport hub”.
"Iraq could become one of the largest transit countries in the region, which will be connected to China through Iranian railways,” he said, according to IRNA.
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Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
Mar 13: Newcastle(H)
Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
THE SPECS
Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: six-speed manual
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The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs: 2018 Bentley Bentayga V8
Price, base: Dh853,226
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Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
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Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
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Centre Court
Starting at 2pm:
Malin Cilic (CRO) v Benoit Paire (FRA) [8]
Not before 4pm:
Dan Evans (GBR) v Fabio Fogini (ITA) [4]
Not before 7pm:
Pablo Carreno Busta (SPA) v Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [2]
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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1 Man City 26 20 3 3 63 17 63
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4 Man Utd 26 13 7 6 44 34 46
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5 West Ham 26 12 6 8 45 34 42
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History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
