TEHRAN - The Touring and Automobile Club of Iran has introduced a new initiative to facilitate the entry of vehicles from Armenia into the Islamic Republic.

The program, aimed at reducing customs procedures and expediting cross-border travel, was officially launched in a ceremony attended by Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Reza Salehi Amiri on Saturday.

Under the initiative, Armenian citizens traveling to Iran can now obtain a Carnet de Passages, or customs transit document, for their vehicles, allowing them to enter the country with minimal delay.

The project, which kicked off via video conference on the second day of Iran’s National Tourism Week, seeks to simplify customs formalities and enhance international road travel between Iran and neighboring countries.

The ceremony held in a Tehran hotel was attended by several other officials, including Ali-Asghar Shalbafian, the deputy tourism minister, and Mohammad-Hossein Soufi, the club’s managing director.

In a live video connection from the Norduz border terminal in East Azerbaijan province, which borders Armenia, Shahab Malmir, spokesperson for the Touring and Automobile Club, oversaw the temporary entry of the first Armenian vehicle into Iran. The official entry was authorized by Minister Salehi Amiri during the live broadcast.

Moreover, the plan is intended to cut down on intermediaries, reduce costs and waiting times at the border, and promote international road travel. It is expected to boost Iran’s tourism industry, strengthen ties with neighboring countries, and attract more tourists from Armenia and beyond.

The Touring & Automobile Club is affiliated with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts. Its tasks include facilitating the travel of owners of vehicles abroad or foreign tourists who are traveling to Iran in their own vehicles. The institution also helps develop tourism by establishing tourism information offices at home and abroad, as well as developing infrastructures and tourism services.

AM