ISNA | Hadi Zand: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani officially inaugurated the section I of Tehran-Shomal freeway which shortens the route between the Iranian capital and Mazandaran province. The inauguration ceremony was held on Tuesday morning with high-ranking officials, including Road Minister Mohammad Eslami, in attendance. Rouhani described the project as a manifestation of the capacity of Iranian engineers, adding, “Sanctions didn’t influence our resolve to construct the freeway.” The first section of the freeway spans for near 32 kilometers and connects Azadegan freeway in the capital to Shahrestanak county in Alborz province. Earlier in February, Eslami had termed Tehran-Shomal Freeway as a ‘megaproject’, noting that “although construction of this project took more than 24 years, the main part of the construction of this mega project started in 2015 at the initiative taken by Mostazafan Foundation and cooperation of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.” Competent and most experienced domestic engineering companies cooperated in completing the construction of the project, the minister added. The mega project consists of four phases spanning 121 km in total. Section IV, which is 20 kilometers long and connects Marzanabad in Kelardasht District to Chalous (both in Mazandaran), was inaugurated in March 2014.