More Working Days at Mehran Border Terminal

EghtesadOnline: Following negotiations between Iranian and Iraqi officials, business days at Mehran border terminal has increased from two to four days a week, says Rouhollah Latifi, the spokesperson of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.

News ID: ۷۵۰۸۳۶

31 August 2020

Mehran border crossing in Ilam Province of Iran, which was only operating on Sundays and Wednesdays, will now be open on Mondays and Tuesdays as well.

A total of 250 Iraqi truckers enter the terminal daily to transport Iran’s exports to the neighboring country, according to the IRICA spokesman.

The border terminal was closed for nearly four months following the outbreak of coronavirus.

Shalamcheh border crossing in the southern Khuzestan Province is now operating on two days a week and Khosravi border in the western province of Kermanshah is open 24/7 since two weeks ago.

Chazzabeh border terminal in Khuzestan Province is still closed, Latifi was quoted as saying by IRNA.

As for Iran's crossings into the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, namely Parvizkhan, Bashmaq and Tamarchin, they have been open all along the coronavirus lockdown.

Latest data released by IRICA show Iraq was Iran's second biggest export destination during the first five months of the current fiscal year (March 20-Aug. 21) with 7.8 million tons worth $2.4 billion.

After the spread of the new coronavirus, Iraq closed all its border crossings with Iran and trade between the two countries was restricted to border crossings with the Kurdish region.

About 8.1 million tons of goods worth $3.8 billion were exported to and from Iran to Iraq through the Iraqi Kurdistan Region in the last fiscal year that ended on March 19, according to the spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.

The exports account for 42% of Iran’s total exports to Iraq in terms of value and for over 31% in terms of tonnage during the period under review.

Parvizkhan border crossing had a share of more than 3 million tons worth $1.4 billion, followed by Bashmaq with $1.12 billion and Tamarchin border crossing with $754 million.

Iran exported 25.68 million tons of goods worth $8.99 billion to Iraq in the last fiscal year (March 2019-20).