Official: Iran, Turkey Discuss Removing Customs Barriers

During the meeting in the Iranian capital today, Iranian Customs Administration Managing Director Massoud Karbasiyan and Turkish Ambassador to Tehran Umit Yardim called for expediting the removal of the customs problems faced by the two countries, specially by trucks, at border crossings.

Karbasiyan and Yardim held an emergency meeting after the recent problems faced by the two countries for export and import of their goods.

The most important problem faced by Iran was the long queues stretched along the border with Turkey which caused strong protests among Iranian traders and truck-owners.

The Turkish ambassador briefed the Iranian side on the problems, and said the current problem has arisen due to the large volume of trade transactions between the two countries and insufficient capabilities at the two countries' border.

Meantime, Yardim asked Karbasiyan to allow the Turkish truck-owners to transit their goods to Iraq through Iran's Mehran border due to the closure of Turkey's borders with Iraq after the Takfiri terrorist groups attacked the Western parts of the country last month.

Karbasiyan, for his part, welcomed the Turkish ambassador's request, and said that the Turkish truck-owners will be allowed to transfer their goods to Iraq via Iran's Mehran border.

Senior Iranian and Turkish officials signed 10 cooperation pacts during President Hassan Rouhani's recent visit to Ankara.

President Rouhani and his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul attended the official signing ceremony after holding serious talks on bilateral and regional developments.

Iran and Turkey increased their trade transactions in the first two months of 2014 as compared with the figures of the corresponding period in the last year.

The value of trade transactions between Tehran and Ankara hit $2.115bln in January and February, the trade data recently released by the Turkish government said.

The two countries have in recent years increased their cooperation in all the various fields of economy, security, trade, education, energy and culture.

The Iranian and Turkish officials have repeatedly stressed the necessity for stronger relations and increasing bilateral trade to $30bln by 2015.