Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8
By Khalid Kazimov – Trend:
Officials from the customs services of Iran and Azerbaijan have agreed to simplify border-crossing procedures at the Astara border checkpoints in both countries.
At a meeting between the officials in the Iranian border city of Astara, the sides have agreed to exchange the required data in order to shorten the border-crossing procedures for goods and passengers, IRNA news agency reported.
Mohammad Shahbazi, an Iranian official with the provincial customs organization of Gilan Province, has expressed hope that the closer ties between customs officials from both countries would contribute to the expansion of trade ties between Iran and Azerbaijan.
The officials also discussed increasing the operation hours at the customs check-points of the border cities of Astara on both sides, Iran and Azerbaijan.
According to Iranian sources, Astara border-crossing in Iran ranks third in the country in terms of commuting as 800,000 passengers annually commute between the two neighboring countries through Astara border city.
Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran amounted to $210.76 million in 2016, $49.68 million of which accounted for the export of Azerbaijani goods to Iran, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.
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