In Istanbul, Syrian Transport Minister Iyad Bedr met with his Saudi and Turkish counterparts, Saleh bin Nasser al-Jasser and Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, respectively, to explore ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and improve the regional transport network. This meeting took place during the second conference of transport ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, where the focus was on enhancing both land and rail transport systems.

Minister Bedr emphasized the importance of activating cooperation, particularly in the land transport sector, and proposed a technical meeting in Saudi Arabia next March to advance discussions on technical matters and coordination. The talks also covered the development of collaborations between railway and road teams, highlighting a regional economic integration strategy aimed at facilitating trade routes.

Additionally, Minister Bedr extended an invitation to his Saudi counterpart to visit Syria, signaling hopes to turn the discussions into actionable steps for railway connectivity improvements. The goal is to facilitate smoother goods movement between Europe and the Gulf region through a comprehensive railway network, which underscores the strategic significance of infrastructure development in enhancing regional trade and cooperation.