Hundreds of Turkish trucks are waiting in a 20-kilometer queue on Iranian border to have their tanks sealed before entering Iranian territory, IRNA reported on Friday.
Iran has started sealing fuel tanks of Turkish trucks entering its territory on the border checkpoints as of Dec. 1. The decision, proposed by the Turkish government, was made to solve a lengthy dispute between the two neighbors over transit fees, since fuel prices in Iran are much cheaper than in Turkey.
In exchange for Turkish trucks sealing their tanks, Iran has vowed to levy no fees on the trucks crossing the border. However, the lack of the required facilities to quickly implement the plan coupled with the unfamiliarity of the drivers with the new rule has created a long waiting periods.
Iran and Turkey have been at odds recently over a transit fee dispute. For several years, Iran used to charge Turkish trucks a $750 transit fee, while Turkey received no transit fee.
But recently Turkey has started imposing a similar fee on Iranian trucks. In reaction, the Islamic Republic increased the fee to $1,500 on October 10, arguing that under a mutual agreement dating a few decades ago, only the country offering cheaper fuel may charge a transit fee.
