BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 13
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
The export of products from Iran's Golestan Province via the railway increased by 112 percent during last three week compared to the same period last Iranian year, Director General of the North-Eastern Railway Department Mehdi Abdolkarimzadeh said, Trend reports citing the department’s website.
Abdolkarimzadeh noted that during this period, more than 13,200 tons of products were exported to Central Asian countries via the Incheboron railway.
He added that the customs border between Iran and Turkmenistan was reopened on June 23 after being closed for about 100 days, and the products export began.
"The exported products via the Incheboron railway were mainly cement, profiles, fittings, iron ore, chemicals and rubber, various building stones and ceramics. And the products mainly exported to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,” he said.
The director emphasized that during this period, 163 tons of products, including barley and fabric were imported to Iran by this railway.
About 144,000 tons of products were exported via the railway to Central Asian countries and China in the last Iranian year (from March 21, 2019 to March 20, 2020).
The borders between Iran and Turkmenistan have been closed since February 27 due to the spread of the coronavirus in Iran.
Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 259,600 people have been infected 13,032 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 222,500 have reportedly recovered from the disease.
The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.
The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.
The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.