Turkey Blamed for Closure of 89% of Iranian Transportation Companies
IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK
TEHRAN – Head of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce Gholam-Hossein Shafei says recent measures of Turkish government for closing its borders because of the outbreak of Coronavirus have affected Iran’s international transportation companies as 89 percent of them have closed down.
In his letter to the Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami, Shafei urged the minister for talks with Turkish government who have closed their borders for Iranian trucks while Turkish trucks can enter Iran. He urged the minister to stop entrance of Turkish trucks into the country.
Shafei in his letter said that some 450 companies with over 15,000 drivers are involved in the international transportation but Turkish government by closing their borders have actually closed down 89 percent of Iranian transportation companies.
Chairman of Iran Chamber of Commerce lodged his protest against stoppage of country’s international road transport system due to the lack of cooperation of Turkey with Iran.
Under such circumstances, Turkish trucks can easily transport and transit their cargoes to the Islamic Republic of Iran, he criticized.
Shafei pointed to the considerable reduction of activity of 450 Iran’s international transportation companies which led to the reduced activity of 15,000 Iranian truck drivers in the cargo transit sector, he said, adding “Turkey has closed its borders with the Islamic Republic of Iran since Feb. 21 due to the outbreak of coronavirus global pandemic.”
He put the unemployment rate of Iranian transportation companies and truck drivers at 89 percent and said, “This is while that Turkish trucks can transport their cargoes easily into Iran via Bazargan and Poldasht borders.”
He pointed out that this issue has increased transport costs extremely and also cost price of all goods and commodities.
He noted that Turkish government’s decision has worsened the condition for Iran’s imports and exports and it has increased the cost of imports and exports and it will make difficult the condition for competition of Iranian goods in the international markets.
Shafei added that currently Iranian trucks can get to Europe via Russia and it increases the cost and time of the transportation.
