Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 13
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Iran is creating artificial barriers for Turkish transporters, head of the International Transporters Association of Turkey Cetin Nuhoglu told Anadolu agency.
He said the Iranian side constantly delays the delivery of Turkish cargoes to the country and imposes various fines on the drivers.
Although the two sides reached an agreement in 2014 to facilitate the entry of Turkish transporters to Iran, the latter hasn't completely fulfilled its obligations, according to Nuhoglu.
Furthermore, the association head said serious problems emerge in the departure from Iran to Turkmenistan as well, adding that the delivery of 70 percent of Turkish cargoes are delayed due to the Iranian side.
Earlier, member of the executive board of Turkey's International Transporters Association Elif Sevim told Trend that Turkey is considering the possibility of using the Georgia-Azerbaijan route for cargo transportation to Turkmenistan.
"Turkey has always seen the Georgia-Azerbaijan route for transportation of cargos to Turkmenistan on ro-ro vessels as an alternative to the Iranian route," said Sevim.
Earlier, Turkey's transport, maritime and communications minister said Iran's increasing the transit fee for Turkish trucks entering the country by two-times is illegal.
The minister said Ankara respects all the agreements reached with Iran, and Tehran should respond similarly.
Over the past years, Iran has charged a transit fee of $750 from trucks entering the country from Turkey, while Iranian trucks have been entering Turkey for free.
After that, Turkey introduced a similar fee for Iranian trucks. This was done in order to force Iran to reduce the transit fee for Turkish trucks, but Iran has increased the fee to $1,500 since October 10, 2014.
At the same time, Iranian officials said that under the agreement, which was signed with Turkey a few decades ago, the two sides may charge a fee for transit only in case of difference in fuel prices on the territories of the countries.
The price of one liter of diesel fuel in Turkey is 2.12 Turkish Lira (exchange rate of one dollar is equal to 2, 6238 TL), in Iran - 5,000 riyals (exchange rate is equal to 35,000 IRR / USD).
Edited by CN
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