BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. Transit through Iran's ports has increased by 37 percent from the beginning of the current Iranian year to the present (from March 20 through December 2024) compared to the same period last year, the Iranian Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development and Chairman of the Ports and Maritime Organization Ali Akbar Safaei told reporters, Trend reports.
He claims that during the specified period, Iranian ports handled about 9.37 million tons of cargo.
Safaei noted that Iran is working to increase transit and cargo transportation within the framework of East-West and North-South corridors. The transit through the country's ports could rise to 40 million tons a year with the full commissioning of highways and railroads.
The deputy minister stated that Iran's Ministry of Roads and Urban Development has joint commissions with neighboring countries to increase transit and freight traffic and regularly holds meetings and sessions in this direction. This explains the current increase in transit.
To note, Iran is located on several international transit routes (North-South International Corridor, East-West International Corridor). Nevertheless, the infrastructure along the trajectory of these routes passing through the country is completely insufficient; the territory of Iran is not considered a safe route for international freight companies, and international sanctions have been imposed against this country. Based on this, international companies are not interested in transit through Iran.