Iran suspends sealing of Turkish trucks’ fuel tanks

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

More than 1,000 trucks had formed a queue almost 12 kilometers long at the Turkey-Iran border, Dec. 9. AA Photo

Ankara has accepted Iran’s offer to suspend the sealing of fuel tanks on Turkish trucks for a limited period of time, Turkey’s transport minister said late on Dec. 9.

“More than 1,000 trucks had formed a queue almost 12 kilometers long at the Turkey-Iran border. But their entrance to Iran will be accelerated thanks to this decision. I hope the truck line will be cleared in a couple of days,” Minister Lütfi Elvan said.

Tehran has required Turkish trucks to seal their fuel tanks when they are in Iran after a row between the two countries over the passage fee at the border.

On Dec. 1, Iran started sealing the fuel tanks of Turkish trucks at border checkpoints to solve the dispute on the transit fees between the two countries, since fuel prices are much lower in Iran than in Turkey. Upon the decision, Tehran stopped supplying Turkish trucks with cheap fuel.

Iran and Turkey have been at odds over truck transit fees in recent months. Prior to its latest decision, Iran had been charging a $750 transit fee for trucks entering the country from Turkey, while Iranian trucks were entering Turkey for free.

After Turkey imposed a similar fee on Iranian trucks, Iran increased the fee to $1,500 on Oct. 10.