Unified transit tariff for China-Iran-Turkey route nears approval
China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Turkey agreed to establish a single transit tariff covering their shared freight corridor, an Iranian transport official said on Saturday, adding that final meetings are under way to put the decision into effect.
Amin Taraffo, head of the international affairs department at Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, said the common tariff would apply to the entire route so goods can be moved “from origin to destination” under one rate, Tasnim reported.
“The final sessions to finalize these tariffs are being held, and the decision will soon be enforced,” he said.
Part of Iran’s bilateral trade already moves by rail, and international rail freight volumes jumped sharply last year, with more than five million tons of goods carried, Taraffo noted. He added that tariffs are mostly based on the costs of each country but remain within the ministry’s broader policy framework.
Eastern transit through Iran
“Transit performance from China in recent years was limited. Even with tariffs set, putting this route into operation depends on multiple factors and is only one step forward,” he said.
The official explained that most cargoes potentially crossing Iran consist of foodstuffs and grains. While East-West and North-South corridors sometimes handle shipments—such as goods moving from Belarus to Russia and then through Bandar Abbas to India or Oman — the full East-West corridor is not yet continuously active.
There are no domestic obstacles on Iran’s side, Taraffo said, stressing that the main challenge lies in the lack of willingness and coordination among the countries along the route.