TEHRAN Head of Iran's Customs Administration Mehdi Karbasian said here on Monday that efforts are underway to solve the problem of transit of fuel from Iran to Turkey, adding that Turkish officials have given favorable promises in this connection. Speaking to IRNA, Karbasian said that the reason for the recent announcement by the Transportation and Terminals Organization of Iran was heavy traffic of trucks carrying fuel on axis leading to Bazargan and Seru border checkpoints with Turkey. The announcement had asked truck owners not to transfer fuel from Caspian Sea ports to Turkey. He said that over 5,000 trucks carrying fuel are now waiting on the said routes to receive permission to leave the country.

Karbasian said that given the increase in transit of fuel from Iran to Turkey in the current year, Iran's customs administration has activated Seru border checkpoint as well. He said, however, the reduction in traffic of trucks carrying fuel through Bazargan and Seru border crossings is due to certain problems caused at customs points in Turkey and has nothing to do with Iran's customs administration.

The official said that in order to solve the said problems, so far two rounds of talks have been held with Turkish officials. He said that efforts by the Turkish side have been halted due to Christmas holidays, expressing the hope that through coordination made so far the problem concerning the transfer of fuel to Turkey will be solved soon. (IRNA)