Iran exported non-oil commodities valued at $673 million to Turkey during the first two months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-May 21), according to the head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA).Foroud Asgari said that Turkey was Iran’s fourth top non-oil export destination in the mentioned two-month period.Exporting commodities valued at $1.367 billion to Iran, Turkey was Iran's third source of non-oil import in the said time span, the IRICA head added.As previously announced by Abolfazl Akbarpour, the deputy head of IRICA for planning and international affairs, Iran exported non-oil commodities valued at $6.8 billion to Turkey in the past Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20, 2025.Akbarpour said that Turkey was Iran’s fourth top export destination in the previous year.Exporting commodities valued at $12.4 billion to Iran, Turkey was Iran’s third top source of import in that year, the official added.On April 14, the secretary of Iran’s Free Trade and Special Economic Zones High Council said that Iran is pursuing the creation of a joint free trade zone with Turkey, as part of broader efforts to resolve long-pending investment challenges and boost cooperation with neighboring countries.Speaking to Tasnim News Agency, Reza Masrour said a special task force has been formed to resolve unresolved projects that have lingered in Iran’s free zones for over 15 years. “We are actively following up on the establishment of a joint free trade zone with Turkey,” he noted, adding that a joint working group between Iran and Turkey will take charge of advancing the plan.Masrour stressed the need for a major shift in investment strategy across the country’s free trade zones, stating, “We must move decisively beyond what was done in the past. Investment incentives should be swiftly approved and implemented by each zone’s board of directors.”To facilitate bilateral cooperation, a joint forum is planned for July this year, bringing together Iranian and Turkish free zone officials and investors in one of Iran’s free trade zones.The official said that each zone must update its investment offerings and identify sector-specific priorities to attract investors based on its unique capacities. He added that investor satisfaction is critical, and new investment decisions are often influenced by the experiences of previous investors.He criticized prolonged unresolved projects, noting that some have remained inactive for up to 15 years. “Creating task forces is necessary, but not enough. Problems must be addressed fundamentally. CEOs must be personally involved, and outcomes should be achieved within six months.”On March 11, Iran’s ambassador to Turkey announced a significant rise in bilateral trade between Tehran and Ankara, stating that the trade volume between the two nations reached $11.8 billion last year and has surpassed $17.5 billion as of February this year. The figure is expected to hit $19 billion by year-end.According to IRNA, citing Iran’s Ministry of Transport and Urban Development, Mohammad-Hossein Habibollahzadeh made the remarks during a virtual session of the Iran-Turkey Joint Transport Committee, emphasizing the importance of transit development. He noted that transit and transport volumes between the two countries have increased by $7.0 billion this year, though further infrastructural improvements are required in rail, air, maritime, and port sectors.Habibollahzadeh highlighted the significant traffic between Iran and Turkey, stating that six million passengers and approximately 330,000 trucks crossed the two countries' borders last year. In response to the growing trade volume, both countries have agreed to increase border crossings from three to five. Expanding rail connectivity and increasing flights are also part of the agenda. (ICE TEHERAN)

Fonte notizia: Tehran Times