China, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran recently signed an agreement to increase the shipment of cargoes through the four countries to international markets by rail, said a report.

The agreement was reached following a meeting between representatives of the four countries in the Kazakh city of Astana, according to a statement by Kazakhstan’s railways KTZ, added the Iran Daily News report, citing Press TV.

The participants also discussed competitive tariffs for cargo transportation along the China-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran (CKTI) rail route, it said.

Following the meeting, the parties identified responsible operators for organising container trains on CKTI rail route and signed a protocol on its outcome.

KTZ's vice president for logistics Sanzhar Yelyubayev highlighted the need to create conditions for the development of container service, formation of stable container traffic, development of the client and freight base, and application of approved tariff rates for container service along the CKTI.

The CKTI was officially launched in February when a container train proceeded from Turkmenistan to Iran, added the report.