Tehran, Iran, Aug. 19
By Mehdi Sepahvand – Trend:
Tehran is encouraging the private sector to file a suit against Turkmenistan if they find Turkmenistan’s new tariff regime on transit trucks to expose them to financial loss.
“The private sector and international transportation companies that have suffered financially can sue [Turkmenistan] in international bodies,” Iran’s Minister of Transport Abbas Akhondi said, IRNA news agency reported Aug. 19.
Akhondi made the remarks after he signed a document authorizing the formation of a special workgroup to investigate the recent rise in Turkmenistan’s tariffs on Iranian transit trucks.
“Filing suits in international courts can act as a suitable deterrence against the Turkmen government, which claims to be the focal point of international events,” the Iranian minister said.
The war of tariffs between the two countries was ignited by Turkmenistan on Aug. 8 when it assigned $160 entrance duties for less-than-20-ton trucks and $260 entrance duties on more-than-20-ton trucks from Iran, added by $1 per kilometer mileage extra tariff. The move came without any advance notice.
Shortly afterwards, Iran retaliated, saying transit trucks from Turkmenistan would have to pay more tariffs while crossing Iranian borders from Aug. 13.
The tariffs recently implemented by Iran consist of $270 entrance fee and $1 per kilometer drive in the Iranian territory.