About 11 million metric tons of various commodities were transported through the borders in the first ten months of the current Iranian year (ending on March 20), indicating a 9.5% increase compared with the similar period last year; announced director general of Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RMTO), Mohammad Atrchian.
“Of the total oil and non-oil commodities transported during this period, 10.338 million metric tons or 95% were transported via roads, registering an increase of 8.4% compared with the similar period last year; while railway transports, with 552,000 metric tons accounted for only 5% of the country’s transit activities,” he was quoted by Mehr news agency as saying.
“Oil-based commodities amounted to 4.766 million metric tons and non-oil commodities such as home appliances, different types of cotton, automotives and construction materials amounted to 6.113 million metric tons of the total transported goods,” he further noted.
Transit Dispute With Turkey Over
In the meantime, Atrchian on Monday announced that the transit dispute with Turkey is over and the transport activities across the border have returned to normal.
“As it was agreed, effective from Sunday this week, the Turkish trucks crossing the Iranian borders will have their tanks sealed upon arrival to the Iranian territories,” he said, adding that the Turkish trucks should fill their tanks inside Turkey.
He added that Iranian trucks planning to cross the Turkish border en route to Europe should do the same and fill their tanks inside their own country.
According to a transit agreement reached between Iran and Turkey back in January, Iranian trucks crossing the Iran-Turkey border are not required to pay any transit fees; while Turkish trucks must pay the price differential for each liter of fuel they purchase in Iran. Atrchian expressed hope that trade exchange between the two countries will increase as a result of the agreement.
The dispute between the two countries erupted on October 10 when Turkey started charging Iranian trucks $31 per 100 kilometers of drive inside the Turkish territory. Iranian officials retaliated by doing the same. Turkey later raised the rate to $63 per 100 kilometers. Tehran said it levied the $31 fee on Turkish trucks due to the difference between fuel prices in the two countries. Turkish fuel stations, for their part, stopped selling fuel to Iranian trucks.
