Broadcast 16 February on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN):

Announcer: Few people might have thought that about 150 years after the opening of the world's first subway, now beneath many of the world's cities there are many metro lines that have taken on the task of moving an astonishing number of urban residents from place to place, providing speed, comfort and security in the transportation network.

Interviewer: How much do you use the metro?

Passenger: I usually use it three or four times a day.

Passenger: Little. I don't use it much.

Passenger: Once a day.

Passenger: I use it every time I want to go into town.

Passenger: I use it every day.

Dr. Montazeri: The Metro Company goes back a few years; it began early in 1987 when Iranian engineers began to implement the designs they had. They began building tunnels and stations, and over time various sections went into operation. In the year 1998 the Tehran-Karaj line went into operation, Line 5. In 1999 part of Line 2 went into operation. Now as I am speaking to you we have three working metro lines, two lines within the city, Lines 1 and 2. Line 1 goes from the north at Mirdamad Street towards His Holiness the Imam's Shrine. Line 2 goes from the Darvdasht-Tehranpars Section and intersects with Line 1 at His Holiness the Imam Square and continues in the direction of Sadeqiyeh for 20 kilometers.

Line 1 is about 26 kilometers and we are operating the Tehran line from Mehrshahr to Khodro. With the secondary lines we are presently operating about 90 kilometers.

Announcer: The transportation routes in a city with heavy traffic like Tehran are the top priority of city managers in every period. In previous years many solutions have been devised for this problem, from electric buses to the new rail project, but one of the best operations has been the creation and development of the metro, which has been able to transport citizens at the lowest cost in a giant city such as Tehran.

The Tehran metro, with the operation of just 3 of its 8 planned lines, daily provides about 1.2 million urban rides. Each metro line is the equivalent of a 15-lane freeway. In other words the two metro lines in the north and south of the city of Tehran, which go in two directions, have the transport ability of a 30-lane freeway.

It is predicted that by the year 2021 Tehran's population will reach 12 million, and this will cause a striking increase in the number of vehicles and intra city trips. Therefore the best way to transport passengers in the great city of Tehran will be high-capacity trains.

Tehran Metro

Dr. Montazeri: Future plans, God willing, will include expanding the northern line towards Tajrish Square, about the 8.5 kilometers. I said that at the present time we are operating as far as Mirdamad Station. God willing the line will go into operation from Mirdamad to Tajrish in various phases over a distance of 8.5 kilometers.

Presently we have about 50 stations and God willing there will be more. In addition to expanding northern line to Tajrish, and our eastern line will go from Darvdasht-Tehranpars for about 8.5 kilometers, and construction is underway on these two segments. We hope that within the next year and a half we will put both of these segments into final operation. This is the short term.

For these two 8.5 kilometer segments we hope to complete operations within the next three years. As I said, we are hoping as these segments are made ready over time we will make use of them.

Announcer: The metro is capable of transporting 2,000 people in a single trip in the shortest amount of time. While the increase in the number of vehicles will cause heavy congestion in the cities, accidents, increased travel time, toxic pollution and increased noise, based on the findings of a study that has been conducted, the use of the metro in the year 2005 has had more than 4,700 billion rials in positive economic effects.

It is estimated that every metro trip saves $.167 in fuel consumption, and calculating each dollar at 8,000 rials, in this way a total of 588 billion rials has been saved in expenditures from the nation's resources.

The development of the Tehran metro, by preventing wasted time for Tehran's citizens, has saved about 1,012 billion rials.