After three months of closure of the key border crossing of Bazargan in the northwest of Iran over COVID-19 pandemic, Iran and Turkey reopened the gate for trade exchanges, the spokesperson for the Iranian Customs Administration announced.
150 Iranian trucks and 36 Turkish trucks have passed through the border on the first day of the reopening, Ruhollah Latifi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.
He said that Iranian and Turkish trucks are allowed to pass through the border point on the condition that the health protocols agreed between the two sides are respected.
The opening of the key border crossing came as Iranian and Turkish presidents discussed reopening of air and land borders between the two countries as novel coronavirus infections and fatality have taken downward trends on both sides.
According to authorities at Iran Customs Administration, the closure of borders between Iran and Turkey over the past three months has caused a decline of 70 percent in trade between the two sides compared to the corresponding period last year.
Bazargan is a city and capital of Bazargan District in Maku County, West Azarbaijan Province, Iran. It is the most important Iranian land border for importing and exporting from and to Turkey.
The Bazargan border initially opened for trade in May, but restrictions were applied regarding incoming and outgoing truck traffic. 60 Iranian trucks per day were allowed to transfer exports to Turkey from Iran as per new agreements as of May 5, according to a report by Iran Customs Administration.
Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said on Thursday that restrictions on both Iran and Iraq were lifted due to the slower international spread of possible contaminants and the waning outbreaks in Iraq and Iran.