Russian Container Trucks Allowed to Enter Mazandaran

The Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization of Mazandaran will issue permits to Russian freight trucks to enter the province. 
According to Abbas-Ali Najafi, director general of the organization, the measure has been taken to reduce transportation costs and ease provincial exports to Central Asian countries and Russia, IRNA reported. 
Prior to the decision, due to restrictions on the movement of foreign trucks in Mazandaran, exports to Russia used to be carried to Astara Customs Terminal in the northern border city of Astara in Gilan Province and then shipped to Russia. The procedure was long, cumbersome and costly. 
In addition, the exported products would most likely suffer damage due to the frequent loading and unloading.
“As per the joint decision of the office of Mazandaran’s governor general, the province’s chamber of commerce, and road maintenance and transportation organization, Russian refrigerated container trucks will be given permits to carry Mazandaran’s exports to their destinations; they just need to announce their license plate number to the organization. These trucks carry imports from Central Asian countries and Russia to Astara and charge half the fare on their return route,” Najafi said.