Iranian rail trade with neighboring Turkey was 6,300 wagons since the beginning of the current year (March 20, 2020) up to May 30, said a customs official.
Spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration [IRICA] Seyed Rouhollah Latifi made the remarks on Sunday and put Iran’s share of goods export and import to neighboring Turkey at 3,072 and 3,228 wagons respectively.
Turkey has shut down Bazargan land border towards Iranian trucks carrying goods to the country since February 21 [coronavirus outbreak], Latifi said, adding, “in this period, transit trucks of other countries have exported some 6,692 tons of goods and commodities to Turkey via road.”
He added, “Razi customs is the only rail route for exchange of goods between Iran and Turkey and we hope the two countries will witness the reopening of air and land borders within the next days after phone talks made between Iranian and Turkish presidents.”
In relevant remarks on May 8, Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami said that Iran continues its trade activities with the two neighboring countries of Turkey and Azerbaijan in spite of the coronavirus epidemic.
"Iran's trade exchanges with Azerbaijan and Turkey at border terminals are underway," Eslami said.
He pointed out that the country's trade exchanges in rail terminals of Sarakhs and Incheh-Burun will be resumed according to the agreements made in this regard.
In a relevant development on April 22, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone conversation underlined that the trade relations between the two countries should continue similar to the past amid the anti-coronavirus battle.
During the phone conversation, President Rouhani stressed the need for strengthening mutual, regional and international cooperation, saying that efforts should be made to ensure that trade between the two countries continues in full compliance with health protocols.