Iran engaged in constructive negotiations with the neighboring Turkmenistan to set up the common border marketplaces, Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash said.
Tasnim news agency also quoted the official as saying that the two countries are discussing facilitating "smooth transit access for Golestan province to Central Asian states."
The province's strategic position along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is due to its proximity to Turkmenistan, he said. Bazrpash noted a substantial 30% surge in goods transit through the province during the first eight months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21 to November 22, 2023) compared to the same period last year.
There are plans to establish a free trade zone at Inche-Borun in Golestan province, which is one of the points on the Zhanaozen (Kazakhstan)-Bereket (Turkmenistan)-Gorgan (Iran) railway corridor. The route can transport goods to the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean countries and export them to Europe.
Experts told Daryo that this transit is important for landlocked developing countries because of the cost-effectiveness of railways in transporting bulky goods over long distances and providing access to seaports.
Eziz Boyarov
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