Iran, South Korea Sign 720-Million-Euro Contract to Buy Rail Bus Wagons

This handout photo released by Korean state rail operator KORAIL shows its homegrown bullet train KTX-II (front) and the existing KTX (background) at a railway station in Seoul. (AFP)
This handout photo released by Korean state rail operator KORAIL shows its homegrown bullet train KTX-II (front) and the existing KTX (background) at a railway station in Seoul. (AFP)
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Iran, South Korea Sign 720-Million-Euro Contract to Buy Rail Bus Wagons

This handout photo released by Korean state rail operator KORAIL shows its homegrown bullet train KTX-II (front) and the existing KTX (background) at a railway station in Seoul. (AFP)
This handout photo released by Korean state rail operator KORAIL shows its homegrown bullet train KTX-II (front) and the existing KTX (background) at a railway station in Seoul. (AFP)

Iran has signed a contract worth 720 million euro Saturday with the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem to buy 450 rail bus wagons, reported the Iranian TV.

The contract was signed in Tehran by Hyundai Rotem and Iranian Rail Industries Development Co (IRICO), which is part of Iran's railways department. Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi attended the signing ceremony.

As per the contract, funded by the South Korean side, Hyundai Rotem will manufacture 300 trailers in Iran in cooperation with the Iranian company, and will create 1,000 direct jobs and 1,700 indirect, along with manufacturing 150 vehicles in South Korea, according to IRICO’s general manager.

In August, Iran received an 8 billion-euro loan from the Export–Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM).

Director of Iran’s Central Bank Valiollah Seif said that the loan will boost many of the development and production projects.

South Korea is an important economic and trade partner for Iran, but has greatly reduced its ties with Tehran over international sanctions linked its nuclear program.

Since the signing of the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers in July 2015, Tehran has sought to develop its economic and trade relations with Asian and European countries despite the opposition of US President Donald Trump.

In September 2017, Iran signed an agreement with the Bank of China to fund several infrastructure projects worth $10 billion, and was promised to receive an additional $25 billion fund, the central bank said.



Israel’s Presence Still Roils Eurovision a Year after Major Protests over the War in Gaza

Protesters hold Palestinian flags during a silent demonstration in support of the Palestinian people on the day of the commemoration of the "Nakba", the Palestinian people's displacement during the creation of Israel, in Basel, on May 14, 2025. The demonstration takes place amidst the Eurovision Song Contest, in which Israel's participation is criticized over the war in Gaza. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)
Protesters hold Palestinian flags during a silent demonstration in support of the Palestinian people on the day of the commemoration of the "Nakba", the Palestinian people's displacement during the creation of Israel, in Basel, on May 14, 2025. The demonstration takes place amidst the Eurovision Song Contest, in which Israel's participation is criticized over the war in Gaza. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)
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Israel’s Presence Still Roils Eurovision a Year after Major Protests over the War in Gaza

Protesters hold Palestinian flags during a silent demonstration in support of the Palestinian people on the day of the commemoration of the "Nakba", the Palestinian people's displacement during the creation of Israel, in Basel, on May 14, 2025. The demonstration takes place amidst the Eurovision Song Contest, in which Israel's participation is criticized over the war in Gaza. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)
Protesters hold Palestinian flags during a silent demonstration in support of the Palestinian people on the day of the commemoration of the "Nakba", the Palestinian people's displacement during the creation of Israel, in Basel, on May 14, 2025. The demonstration takes place amidst the Eurovision Song Contest, in which Israel's participation is criticized over the war in Gaza. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)

Most contestants at the Eurovision Song Contest are seeking as much publicity as possible.

Israel’s Yuval Raphael is keeping a low profile.

The 24-year-old singer has done few media interviews or appearances during Eurovision week, as Israel’s participation in the pan-continental pop music competition draws protests for a second year.

Raphael is due to perform Thursday in the second semifinal at the contest in the Swiss city of Basel. Oddsmakers suggest Raphael, a survivor of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on a music festival in southern Israel that started the war, is likely to secure a place in Saturday’s final with her anthemic song “New Day Will Rise.”

Israel has competed in Eurovision for more than 50 years and won four times. But last year’s event in Sweden drew large demonstrations calling for Israel to be kicked out of the contest over its conduct in the war against Hamas in Gaza, reported The Associated Press said.

The Oct. 7 cross-border attacks by Hamas militants killed 1,200 people, and roughly 250 were taken hostage into Gaza. More than 52,800 people in Gaza have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory offensive, according to the territory’s health ministry.

About 200 people, many draped in Palestinian flags, protested in central Basel on Wednesday evening, demanding an end to Israel’s military offensive and the country’s expulsion from Eurovision. They marched in silence down a street noisy with music and Eurovision revelry.

Many noted that Russia was banned from Eurovision after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“It should be a happy occasion that Eurovision is finally in Switzerland, but it’s not,” said Lea Kobler, from Zurich. “How can we rightfully exclude Russia but we’re still welcoming Israel?”

Last year, Israeli competitor Eden Golan received boos when she performed live at Eurovision. Raphael told the BBC that she expects the same and has rehearsed with background noise so she won't be distracted.

“But we are here to sing and I’m going to sing my heart out for everyone,” she said.

Anti-Israel protests in Basel have been much smaller than last year in Malmo. Another protest is planned for Saturday in downtown Basel, 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the contest venue, St. Jakobshalle arena.

But concern by some Eurovision participants and broadcasters continues.

More than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter calling for Israel to be excluded. Several of the national broadcasters that fund Eurovision, including those of Spain, Ireland and Iceland, have called for a discussion about Israel’s participation.

Swiss singer Nemo, who brought the competition to Switzerland by winning last year, told HuffPost UK that “Israel’s actions are fundamentally at odds with the values that Eurovision claims to uphold — peace, unity, and respect for human rights.”

At Wednesday’s protest, Basel resident Domenica Ott held a handmade sign saying “Nemo was right.”

She said the nonbinary singer was “very courageous.”

“If Russia couldn’t participate, why should Israel?” she said.

The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, pointed out that Israel is represented by its public broadcaster, KAN, not the government. It has called on participants to respect Eurovision’s values of “universality, diversity, equality and inclusivity” and its political neutrality.