Iran has reported a new record in international cargo transit via its territory amid efforts by the government to increase its revenues from transit fees and boost economic and trade relations with regional countries.
A Sunday report by Fars news agency said that cargo transit via Iran had increased by 26% in the 11 months to February 18 to reach a total of 20.3 million metric tons (mt).
The report, which cited figures from the Iranian customs office, said Iran’s largest container port of Shahid Rajaee on the Persian Gulf coast had been responsible for 5.3 million mt of the transit of cargo that passed through the Iranian territory in April-February.
It added that the Parvizkhan crossing in the western border with Iraq had handled some 4.6 million mt of international cargo over the same period.
The report said that cargo transit via Iran is expected to top 22 million mt by the end of the current calendar year on March 20.
It also cited figures from the Iranian railway company showing that the international cargo transit via the country’s rail network had increased by some 50% in the second half of the current calendar year to reach an annual record of 2.4 million mt.
It said Iran expects to hit a target of 8 million mt in international rail freight transit in the next calendar year.
Cargo transit via Iran was just 13 million mt in 2022 when the country introduced new laws and regulations to facilitate the movement of international cargo via its territory.
The policy was in line with government efforts to create new sources of earning hard currency to offset the impacts of US sanctions on its oil exports.
A report by the Iranian parliament’s research arm shows the country can earn some $8 billion per year from the transit of nearly 80 million mt of international cargo.