Visit of Our Consulate General in Mashhad to the Lotf Abad Customs

Dear Member,

In the letter sent to our Chamber by TOBB, the letter dated 21.03.2023 received from the Directorate General for Regulation of Transport Services of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has reported that a meeting was held on 13 March 2023 between our Consul General in Mashhad and Iranian customs officials regarding the problem of long waiting times experienced by our carriers travelling to Central Asia via Iran at the Lotf Abad Customs on Iran's border with Turkmenistan.

It is stated that the Iranian side made the following statements at the said meeting:

1. In order to resolve the problem, working hours have been mutually increased with Turkmenistan. TIR trucks can exit according to the order of registration made online. Priority is given to TIR trucks carrying perishable goods and dangerous goods.

2. A meeting will be held with the Turkmen border authorities on 20 March 2023. At the meeting, the Turkmen side will be proposed "to increase the border operating hours to 24 hours, to increase the number of vehicles entering and exiting daily, and to abolish the practice of changing trailers at the border introduced during the coronavirus pandemic". (Emphasising that the Lotf Abad Customs has a capacity of more than 250 daily vehicle entries and exits, the Iranian side also requested that Turkish companies not register Lotf Abad as the final destination of TIR trucks, in order to help abolish the trailer-changing practice.)

3. There has not yet been any progress regarding the problems experienced with fuel. At this stage, on a trial basis, cards for purchasing fuel have been issued to some drivers who are not Iranian citizens.

The same letter also reported that our Consul General, who visited the TIR park in the customs area after the meeting, made the following assessments in the light of the Iranian side's statements and his own observations:

• Since the procedures of TIR trucks can be completed on the same day at Sarakhs, another border gate of Iran opening to Turkmenistan, our carriers could make greater use of that border gate instead of Lotf Abad.
• The main reason why our TIR drivers wait for long periods in unhealthy conditions at the customs gate is the vehicle tracking system, which is not managed well and fairly.
• The proposal to increase working hours on Iran's border with Turkmenistan to 24 hours may not be realised, at least in the short term. Under current conditions, congestion at the said border gate may continue for some time and may recur from time to time. 

Kind regards,

Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry

 

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Date Added :2023-03-27 05:48:00