Below is a high-level overview of the security risks along the semi-built Khaf-Herat railway route. We have provided a snap summary of the security context of Herat province in Afghanistan currently. Despite the Taliban being in control, Herat is the third largest province in Afghanistan and holds strategic significance to both Afghanistan as well as its neighbour Iran. This also exposes it to potential threats, as illustrated in the map.

Yesterday, Russia reportedly started exporting 5000 tonnes of diesel fuel by railway for the first time to Afghanistan via Iran. The diesel fuel will be shipped from Russia to the Iranian Caspian seaport of Amirabad, from there the fuel is carried by rail to Mashhad then to Afghanistan via the semi-finished Khaf-Herat railway.