Railroad Sole Way of Iran-Turkey Trade For Now: Official
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Turkey has barred all trucks, even the Turkish ones, from entering the country after the outbreak of the coronavirus, the spokesperson for Iran’s Customs Office said, noting that the only option left for the trade exchanges between the two neighbors is railroad.
In comments on Monday, Ruhollah Latifi said the only remaining path for exports and imports between Iran and Turkey at present is the railroad via the Razi border crossing.
More than 130 train cars are transporting commodities between Iran and Turkey, he added.
Latifi said the Ankara government decided to refuse all trucks entry into Turkey as part of the precautionary measures to contain the coronavirus spread, noting that even Turkish trucks have been stranded at the border inside Iran since April 10.
More than 210 Turkish trucks carrying export commodities have been left stranded at the Bazargan border crossing and cannot return home, even though they have cleared customs in Iran, Latifi said.
Last month, Iran’s ambassador to Ankara said Iranian and Turkish cargo trucks were carrying out ground shipping service via third countries.