Iran's Bazargan crossing exports 80,000 tons of goods

 Bazargan border crossing in West Azarbaijan Province, northwestern Iran, as the most important border crossing of the country in several years, has been flourished by exporting around 80,000 tons of commodities after three and a half months of closure due to the Covid-19 restrictions.

The border crossing has played the role of Iran's transit corridor to Asia and Europe, which became operational about 95 years ago.

It is a pioneer in terms of trade and transit among more than 20 other border crossings in Iran.

In mid-February 2020, Turkish and Iranian authorities decided to close the Bazargan border crossing in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease.

Managing Director of Maku Free Trade and Economic Zone Mohammad-Reza Abdolrahimi told IRNA that the volume of transit of commodities from Bazargan border crossing stands at more than 26 billion dollars per annum; so, the reopening of the crossing is of great importance for national and international economic relations.

One of its most significant advantages is that the border crossing is located in Maku county, which plays a key role in trade and passenger transportation, the official said.

Managing Director of Bazargan Customs Mojtaba Bazgir said that following the reopening of the border crossing, foreign trade has been revitalized and that the Bazargan customs office is working round the clock.

The official went on to say that all transportation operations are being implemented in accordance with health protocols.

From June until now, some 79,639 tons of various cargoes have been exported from the border crossing, which shows a 31 percent increase in terms of dollar price in spite of the fact that the export declined 39 percent in terms of weight, Bazgir noted.

He added that the bulk of export cargoes comprise petrochemical products, agricultural crops, stone, ceramic, glass, iron, steel and textiles.

Member of the Iranian Parliament representing Maku, Chaldoran, Poldasht and Showt Mohammad Alipour expressed hope that the mutual trade between Turkey and Iran would improve when the Covid-19 pandemic is contained and that the two countries could utilize joint trade capacity more than ever.

Bazargan crossing border and the city of Maku are located in the vicinity of joint borders with neighboring countries of Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Iran has 130 kilometers and 140 kilometers of borderlines with Turkey and Azerbaijan, respectively.