The pilot project of the Iran-Afghanistan-Uzbekistan transit corridor has become operational under the TIR system with two trucks starting transporting goods from Iran to Afghanistan and finally to Uzbekistan.
Two transit cargoes from Shahid Rajaee customs in the port city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran left for Dogarun border customs on the border with Afghanistan and and then to Uzbekistan on Monday 10 August, Iran Customs Administration Director of Transit Bureau Mostafa Ayati said.
"The development of transit corridors through Afghanistan as a short and low-cost route to Central Asian countries has been done via TIR system and with the cooperation of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), and Iran Chamber of Commerce," Ayati said.
This came after a recent successful opening of the KTAI (Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Iran) corridor and the shipment of goods from Shahid Rajaee customs to Afghanistan and then to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on 5 August. The corridor offers the shortest possible route between Iran and Kyrgyzstan, with TIR saving up to five days on the usual transit time.
TIR stands for “Transports Internationaux Routiers" or "International Road Transports". The 1975 convention replaced the TIR Convention of 1959, which itself replaced the 1949 TIR Agreement between a number of European countries.
The new Iran-Afghanistan-Uzbekistan corridor, as a new short and low-cost route, can play an effective role in developing trade and regional cooperation, Ayati said.
Iran offers shortest route to the sea for landlocked countries of Central Asia, the official said adding that the new routes would result in faster transportation of cargoes and reduction of costs.