TEHRAN - Nearly 2.0 million tons of goods were traded through the customs terminals and border markets of Sistan-Baluchestan province during the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-November 20), according to a senior provincial official.

Ayoub Kord, the head of the Transport and Urban Development Department of Sistan-Baluchestan, announced on Sunday that a total of 1,998,553 tons of goods were traded through the customs terminals and border markets of the province during the first eight months of the current year.

Out of the mentioned figure, 973,920 tons were exported, 251,351 tons were imported, and 773,282 tons were designated for the transit of goods through the province's northern border terminals.

Kord noted that the primary exports included gas, bitumen, hydrocarbons, and cement, which were transported through the Milak and Mirjaveh border terminals.

The Mirjaveh border crossing is situated on the Iran-Pakistan border, while the Milak Border Terminal is located near Helmand city, adjacent to Nimruz province in Afghanistan.

Sistan-Baluchestan has been a key part of Iran’s efforts to fight the impacts of foreign sanctions through ramping up non-oil exports.

Increased port activities at Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari terminals in Chabahar, which is the only Iranian trade gateway on the oceans, have further boosted export opportunities in Sistan-Baluchestan.  

That comes on top of the growing number of border markets in the province which facilitate exports of non-oil products to neighboring countries.

EF/