Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenia and Iran signed in Yerevan today a tentative memorandum today on establishing direct railroad communication between the two countries.

Mediamax reports that the document was signed by the Minister of Transport and Communication of Armenia Gurgen Sargsian and Minister of Road and Transportation of Iran Hamid Behbahani.

Gurgen Sargsian stated that the signing of the tentative memorandum provides for setting up a joint working group, which will take up the necessary preparatory works. The Minister informed that the final signing of the memorandum is expected to take place during the official visit of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsian to Iran, planned for April, 2009.

Hamid Behbahani noted that the length of the railroad line will make about 480 km, 60 km of which will pass through the territory of Iran, and 420 km – through the territory of Armenia. According to the Minister, the preliminary works on justification and projecting of the railroad line will last 1-1.5 years, and the construction – 3-4 years.

Gurgen Sargsian informed that in the nearest future the Delegation of Asian Development Bank (ADB) will visit Armenia. Project funding issues will be discussed with the Delegation.

“Besides ADB, we also expect participation of the World Bank in the project, as well as the participation of Iranian and Russian governments”, Gurgen Sargsian stated.