Iran and Kuwait will soon be able to exchange goods through a new overland route via Iraq, a move expected to sharply boost bilateral trade, the chairman of the Iran-Kuwait Joint Chamber of Commerce said.
“We are on the verge of opening the overland route for transporting goods through Iraq to Kuwait. This will significantly reduce transport time and costs,” Ebrahim Gholamzadeh Zangeneh said in an exclusive interview with the portal of Iran Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.
He said the development follows Iraq’s accession to the International Road Transport (TIR) Convention, which streamlines customs clearance for trucks carrying goods across borders. “With the TIR system, trucks can load and unload without lengthy customs formalities, and Iraq’s membership will facilitate the transit of Iranian goods to Kuwait,” he added.
Gholamzadeh put last year’s trade volume between the two countries at about $300 million and said the figure was set to multiply once visa restrictions and transport bottlenecks were lifted. “With the resolution of visa issues and the opening of the land route, trade will undoubtedly grow several times,” he said.
He noted that Kuwait had stopped issuing visas after the COVID-19 pandemic, hindering business exchanges, but the restrictions are now lifted following efforts by Iran’s embassy in Kuwait and the Iran-Kuwait Joint Chamber of Commerce.
Amin Fartousi, a board member of the Iran-Kuwait Joint Chamber of Commerce, said last December that the Iraqi government had granted preliminary approval for the transit of Iranian goods to Kuwait through its territory.