2 thousand 271 trucks are waiting to enter Afghanistan at the Dogharon border

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Trade Union of International Transport Companies announced the stoppage of 2,271 trucks at the Dogharon border and said: Contrary to published news, the China-Afghanistan border crossing has not yet been reopened.

Ehsan Malekzadeh, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Trade Union of International Transport Companies of Iran, in a conversation with Mehr reporter about the situation of land trade between Iran and Afghanistan, the stopping of trucks at the border of Dogharon and the latest status of the implementation of the one-way transportation plan, said: Iran has trade exchanges with Afghanistan in the fields of export, import and transit, and the common borders of the two countries, including Dogharon and Milk, play an important role in this regard.

He added: Most of Iran's exports to Afghanistan are in the field of oil and gas derivatives. On the other hand, the volume of Iran's imports from Afghanistan is not very large, but unfortunately, we are currently facing a long-term stoppage of trucks behind the Dogharon border, and the rate of trucks stopping at this border is very high.

Malekzadeh stated: Currently, about 2,271 trucks are stopped behind the Dogharon border. This shows that border stops are still one of the important issues in the process of exporting and crossing the country's borders.

The reopening of the China-Afghanistan border crossing has not yet been achieved

He continued: In recent days, there were news about the reopening of the China-Afghanistan border. If this corridor, which is located on the historical silk road, is reopened, positive events can be expected in the field of transportation and regional trade.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Trade Union of International Transport Companies of Iran stated: Despite the insistence of the Taliban to create this route and carry out infrastructure measures, including the construction of 121 kilometers of road to the border crossing, this crossing has not yet been opened. According to the latest information we have, the Taliban side has completed road construction operations up to the border, but the border crossing has not yet been opened.

He reminded: The Chinese side was not present at the road opening ceremony either. Therefore, a distinction should be made between the construction of a road to the border area and the creation and operation of an official crossing for the movement of passengers or the transportation of goods. Building a road alone does not mean opening a border crossing and starting commercial traffic.

Full shipment of goods has not yet been implemented

Malekzadeh said about the latest implementation status of the one-way cargo transportation plan and the promises made to reduce border stops: "One-way transportation" has a specific meaning in the definitions of international transportation, and this concept should be separated from the issue of completely eliminating border stops.

He stated: One-way transportation means that a truck loads at the origin and unloads the cargo at the destination, without unloading and reloading operations along the way. Therefore, it cannot be said that the implementation of complete transport by itself means the complete elimination of stops and stagnation at the borders.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Trade Union of International Transport Companies of Iran continued: The issue raised about the reduction of border stops is also related to the way of carrying out border and customs controls. In this context, it is discussed that customs controls should be carried out inside the customs office and at the customs office of destination in order to facilitate the process of passing the goods.

Approvals of the transit headquarters to facilitate foreign trade

In the end, Malekzadeh noted: Good resolutions have been approved at the Gozr headquarters, which we hope will be implemented. If the basis of the country's foreign trade is regulated and operational based on these approvals, a significant facilitation will definitely be created in the country's international trade and transportation processes.