TEHRAN – Some 68,700 tons of commodities worth $79.878 million have been imported into Iran through Bazargan border crossing since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21), according to the Bazargan customs director-general.

The value of imports has increased by $62.398 million, compared to the figure for the same period in the previous year in which the imports stood at only $17.48 million due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mojtaba Bazgir told IRNA on Sunday.

The volume of imports has also increased significantly compared to the same period in the previous year, as the weight of imports was reported to be 2,736 tons in the previous year’s same time span.

According to Bazgir, industrial machinery, iron or steel products, aluminum, automobiles, paint, and composite extracts, steel structures, adhesives, welding metals, ash, rubber, and rubber products, as well as textile and fabric were among the top commodity items entering the country through the mentioned crossing.

Located in West Azarbaijan Province, Bazargan is one of the three border crossings between Iran and Turkey; this border, which is Iran's gateway to European countries, is located at Bazargan District in Maku County.

It is the most important Iranian ground border for importing and exporting.

In late February 2020, the border crossing was closed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus; it resumed operation after a three-month hiatus.

Iran sees trade with Turkey as key in efforts to confront the U.S. sanctions that have sought to undermine Tehran’s oil exports. Petrochemical products account for a major share of Iran’s exports to Turkey although the U.S. bans have made it difficult to settle payments between businesses in the two countries.

Turkey also relies on Iran as a major market for its manufacturing goods, including industrial machinery and garment, while it also sends to Iran some sizable shipments of crops and fruits that are not cultivated in the country.

EF/MA