The chairman of the Iranian Railway has said that the launch of Tehran-Ankara train on the agenda a day after Tehran-Turkish Van city was launched.

Having been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a direct passenger service has been reintroduced between Tehran and Van in eastern Turkey.

Tehran’s recent setbacks have paved the way for Ankara’s ascent. The Ankara-backed Azerbaijan’s triumph over Tehran-backed Armenia, Turkish-supported militias outmaneuvering Iran’s influence in Syria,

Turkey and Iran have been regional rivals for decades, with Syria as a key battleground. The ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December significantly shifted the power dynamics in the country, strengthening Ankara's position while weakening Iran's influence.

The railway linking Iran's Tehran to Turkey's Van was launched on Sunday with a train leaving the Iranian capital for the eastern Turkish city.

The first Tehran-Van international train departed from the Iranian capital on Sunday, resuming service after a five-year suspension, the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI) announced.

A diplomatic falling out between Turkey and Iran escalated on Tuesday as Ankara summoned a senior Iranian diplomat – the latest development in a war of words between officials from the neighbouring countries.

Iran and Turkey have summoned each other’s diplomats for discussions, officials said Tuesday, after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan criticized Tehran’s policy of supporting militias in Syria and elsewhere.

FILE - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on Feb. 24, 2025. Fidan's recent criticism of Iranian support for militias in the Middle East triggered diplomatic discussions with the countries' ambassadors.

An assistant to the Iranian foreign minister called on Turkey to avoid making comments or giving analyses that are to the detriment of the two neighbors’ mutual interests.

Iran has also been investing in a north-south economic corridor that will link the Caucasus and Russia with the Persian Gulf.