Reports over the past few days have criticized the long lines of transit trucks waiting behind Bazargan border terminal in northwest Iran.
The director general of Transit and International Transportation Affairs Bureau of Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization blamed it on the poor performance of this border terminal.
Javad Hedayati also told IRNA that another reason for the heavy traffic at this border gate is the mourning month of Muharram, as people from both sides of the border are heading home during this period.
According to the official, 450 trucks exit Bazargan border terminal and 350 trucks enter this terminal every day.
“Data coming from Bazargan border terminal show up to 1,200 trucks carrying export commodities on the Iranian side have been stranded, which lasts from one to two weeks. This indicates that the efficiency in this border is low,” he was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency on Aug. 16.
Bazargan in Maku County is the most important Iranian land border for importing and exporting from and to Turkey. The city shares borders with Iraq and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Bazargan’s Customs Office was established in the fiscal 1926-27 and is the only international border between Iran and Turkey that works round the clock.
Out of Iran’s 22 border crossings, Bazargan in Maku, Razi in Khoy, Sarv in Urmia, Sanam Baqi in Poldasht and Tamarchin in Piranshahr are located in West Azarbaijan Province.
To stem the spread of Covid-19, Turkey in March last year shut its border gates with neighboring countries, including Iran and Iraq.
The Bazargan border initially opened for trade in May 2020, but restrictions were restored on incoming and outgoing truck traffic.
According to Spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration Rouhollah Latifi, 60 Iranian trucks per day were allowed to transfer exports to Turkey from Iran as per new agreements as of May 5.
Trucks started arriving at border gates after Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan announced in June last year that Turkey has reopened the Gürbulak border gate with Iran (known as Bazargan on the Iranian side of the border).
Trucks from Iran started arriving at the Gürbulak customs gate after the announcement and entered Turkey after the completion of procedures. Turkish trucks also entered Iran through the border gate.
