Traffic Builds Up Behind Border Crossing With Afghanistan

EghtesadOnline: Around 1,200 trucks carrying Iranian goods to Afghanistan as well as transit goods have been held up at Dogharoun checkpoint in Khorasan Razavi Province’s border city of Taybad located on the Iran-Afghanistan border, according to the manager of Dogharoun border terminal.

News ID: ۷۵۰۸۷۵

03 September 2020

“The heavy traffic behind the border is due to the fact that Turkmenistan is refusing to open up its border crossings with Iran after closing them down due to the outbreak of the coronavirus and other eastern checkpoints such as Milak in Sistan-Baluchestan Province and Mahiroud in South Khorasan Province have reduced activity,” Karim Navayi Nezami was also quoted as saying by IRNA on Tuesday.

“These have redirected traffic toward Dogharoun. What complicates the situation further is that there are not enough facilities on the Afghan side of the border to expedite the passage of these trucks into the neighboring country.”

Nezami noted that officials from both sides have agreed to increase working hours from 7:15 a.m.-5 p.m. to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. in order to help solve the problem.

Since the beginning of the current Iranian year on March 20, trucks commuting through Dogharoun border terminal have increased by 50% compared with the similar period of last year.