TEHRAN - Reconstruction of the Shahid Mirzaei tunnels on the Bandar Abbas–Hajiabad highway in southern Iran is progressing after U.S. missile strikes destroyed the stone structures at their entrances and exits, according to Hormozgan road authorities.
Abbas Sharfi, director-general of Hormozgan’s Road Maintenance and Transportation Department, reported the latest progress during an inspection of the reconstruction project on Wednesday.
Sharfi said the U.S. missile strikes on July 18 had completely destroyed the stone structures at the tunnels’ entrances and exits, prompting authorities to mobilize technical and construction teams to repair the damage.
“Following the incident, reconstruction work was launched, with technical and construction teams mobilized to repair the damaged sections and ensure safe passage along the Bandar Abbas-Hajiabad highway,” he said.
Reconstruction of the outbound route has reached 55 percent, while work on the inbound route is 75 percent complete, Sharfi noted, with both directions expected to be restored by the end of Azar (late December) this year.
The work was continuing “with a focus on repairing the damage to the tunnel structures and restoring safe traffic conditions” along the key route, he stressed.
The damage was not limited to the tunnels. U.S. attacks on July 26 and 27 damaged nine bridge structures on major roads across Hormozgan Province, disrupting several key transport links.
In September, Sharfi said repairs to eight of the nine damaged bridges were expected to be completed by the end of that month, while work on the remaining bridge was scheduled for completion by late October.
Roads and Urban Development Minister Farzaneh Sadegh told parliament in May that more than 50 locations on the country’s transport network, including highways, tunnels and bridges, had been targeted by the US and Israel, with several tunnels struck more than once.