In recent weeks, almost all Iranian land borders have reopened for trade and travel, according to Rouhollah Latifi, the spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
In early 2020, with the intensification of Covid-19, restrictions were imposed on borders handling freight and passengers. Trade restrictions began to roll back in late March with the observance of health protocols, as commercial exchanges took the form of transshipment.
As for passenger travel, the ban on border crossing, be it by land or air, had been in place until recently, except for certain circumstances and with special permits.
“The Turkish border is now fully open and passengers can enter or leave by land. Also, the borders with Afghanistan, Pakistan, Armenia and the Persian Gulf countries are open to passenger traffic, although having a negative PCR test result and vaccination card is mandatory for entering most of these countries,” Latifi was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
There are still restrictions on the Iraqi land border and entry into the Arab part of the country is only allowed by air. On land, passengers can only enter the Iraqi Kurdistan region after obtaining the permits. Restrictions remain on Turkmenistan’s border and passengers still cannot enter or leave the country.
Trade, however, resumed recently between Iran and Turkmenistan after Commander of the Border Guards of the Islamic Republic of Iran Brigadier General Ahmad Ali Goudarzi announced the reopening of the border and resumption of trade and economic activities between the two neighboring countries.
Speaking on Oct. 21, Goudarzi reiterated that trade and issuance of [business] visas are underway at border terminals and border guards are rendering quality services round-the-clock to facilitate the relevant activities, Fars News Agency reported.
Latifi noted that the transit of goods is ongoing without restrictions.
Growth in Passenger Flights
It has been a while since passengers have been able to undertake air travel abroad without any problem.
Iranian airports' domestic passenger traffic saw a year-on-year growth of 8% during the first six months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Sept. 22), as 11.96 million passengers were flown internally by Iranian airlines during the period, new data released by Iran Airports Company show.
Takeoffs and landings posted a 33% YOY growth to 155,472.
Over 95.69 million tons of cargos were shipped during the period under review, 21% more YOY.
Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport accounted for 4.6 million of the total number of passengers, 2% more than in the corresponding period of last year.
Mashhad International Airport and Shiraz International Airport came next with 1.88 million and 832,697 passengers respectively.
Mehrabad handled 58,504 landings and takeoffs during the period, considerably higher than other Iranian airports.
IAC data also indicate 61% growth in the total number of foreign flights passing through Iranian airspace during the six months to Sept. 22.
A total of 65,939 foreign flights flew over Iran's airspace during the period, which figure stood at 41,025 during the same period of the year before.
IAC's data do not include figures on Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport, which accounts for the largest portion of international flights operated to/from Iran.
Restrictions for the Unvaccinated
As of Nov. 22, only vaccinated people or those carrying negative PCR test results are permitted to travel, according to the head of Transport Safety Regulation Codification and Passive Defense Center, affiliated with the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
“A system called ‘Omid’ will soon come online, through which all passengers will be monitored and unless they have been vaccinated or carry negative PCR test result, they will not be allowed to travel using public transportation,” Reza Nafisi was quoted as saying by the news portal of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture.
The official noted that the Omid system will provide access to information on whether a passenger has Covid-19 or is suspected of being infected, which will help break the contagion cycle more effectively.
The new regulation applies to the twice vaccinated as well as those who have only received their first dose for the time being, provided that the former is not past the due date for their second round of vaccination.
Nafisi added that in the near future, regulations will become more stringent, meaning that only people who have received two doses of vaccines will be allowed to travel.
The Health Ministry has issued a new directive relaxing restrictions on passenger transportation over Covid-19 as of Nov. 22.
As per the directive, airplanes will be allowed to utilize 100% of their passenger capacity, up from 60% in the wake of the pandemic.
Moreover, passenger ships, buses and trains will be allowed to use 80% of their capacities.
“After 80% of the population are vaccinated, marine, rail and road transportation can also be operated at full capacity,” reads the directive as reported by Mehr News Agency.
Shahram Adamnejad, deputy minister of roads, communicated the directive to the Civil Aviation Organization, the Ports and Maritime Organization and Iran Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization.
For domestic flights, passengers need to carry either their vaccination card or a negative PRC test result (taken within 72 hours before takeoff). For international flights, passengers need both of these documents with the negative PCR test taken 96 hours before takeoff.
For road travel, there is a need for either a negative PCR test taken within two hours before departure or a vaccination card.
To be able to travel domestically on a vessel, passengers need either a vaccination card or a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before departure. For international marine journeys, passengers are required to have both their vaccination card and a negative PCR test taken 96 hours before departure.
Passengers traveling by train also need to have vaccination cards as well as negative PCR test results (taken 72 hours before departure).
The directive mandates social distancing during boarding and disembarking and prevention of queues.
Iranian passengers who plan to fly abroad are advised to apply for a digital vaccination card issued by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, according to a ministry official.
“The only valid certificate of Covid-19 vaccination in Iran is the digital card issued at Salamat.gov.ir by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education,” Ali Sharifi Zarchi was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
Passengers are advised to apply for a digital vaccine card at least two weeks before their departure by visiting the Salamat.gov.ir website.
Anyone willing to travel to Iran is required to have received two doses of Covid-19, according to Health Minister Bahram Einollahi.
The minister noted that the Covid-19 Smart System will be launched soon, starting from Qazvin Province on a trial basis.
“Many restrictions are only applied to those who have not been vaccinated and holders of digital vaccine card can perform many activities, such as domestic and international travels, as before the Covid-19 pandemic, without any restrictions,” he added.
