Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development has announced a 76 percent increase in imports through the country's northern sea borders over the past six months, highlighting a major operational shift in the nation's trade corridors following the blockade of southern ports.
Addressing the Parliament on Tuesday, Farzaneh Sadegh stated that the unjust blockade imposed on Iran's southern ports forced a paradigm shift in the country's foreign trade arteries.
She emphasized that due to proactive planning and the rapid reorganization of border infrastructure, the movement of commercial goods did not halt for even a single hour.
"Despite the closure of southern ports, we witnessed a 76 percent increase in imports from northern sea borders, a 41 percent increase in road imports, and a significant rise in rail imports during the first six months of the year," Sadegh reported.
On the export front, the minister noted that shipments through northern ports grew by 10 percent, road exports increased by 9 percent, and rail exports saw a substantial 53 percent growth.
She confirmed that over 85 percent of the cargo volume previously handled by southern ports has been successfully redistributed across alternative border routes.
Addressing operational bottlenecks, Sadegh pointed out that a significant portion of the delays and long queues at border terminals stems from capacity limitations and acceptance quotas imposed by neighboring countries on the receiving end.
To overcome these hurdles, the ministry is actively pursuing "transport diplomacy" and maintaining continuous negotiations with foreign counterparts. She noted that despite US and Israeli pressure on neighboring states to limit cooperation with Iran, new road transit routes have been reopened and mixed transport corridors expanded.
To ease domestic congestion and streamline processes, the government has implemented deregulation measures and customs facilitation protocols approved in October.
New initiatives include a national smart queuing system for trucks to prevent long waits at borders, a unified management dashboard for border terminals and free zones, and the continuous 24-hour operation of customs facilities.
Additionally, the country's railway company has accelerated the development of standard-gauge lines, and the Economic Council recently approved the railway connection from Marand to Cheshmeh Soraya to enhance rail links with Turkey.
Iran has faced a renewed maritime and economic blockade following the failure of the US-Israeli war of aggression earlier this year.
Washington has attempted to strangle Iran's southern ports, particularly in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, in a bid to halt its exports and disrupt essential imports.
In response, Tehran has accelerated its reliance on northern borders and the Caspian Sea to sustain its economy.
By leveraging ports such as Anzali and Amirabad, and expanding the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), Iran has successfully pivoted its trade toward Russia, Central Asia, and Eurasian markets.
This geographic diversification has proven crucial in bypassing US-controlled southern maritime chokepoints, ensuring the continuous flow of essential goods, and reinforcing Iran's economic resilience against unilateral coercive measures.
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