ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Trading activity on the Parviz-Khan border between the Kurdistan Region and Iran has decreased dramatically as Iraqi customs officials do not allow trucks who have crossed at that border point to enter central and southern Iraq.
“When they [Iraqi customs and checkpoints] know that the trucks have come from the Parviz-Khan border, they don’t allow them to pass and the drivers return to us,” Ali Tofiq, director of the Parviz-Khan border crossing told Rudaw.
Tofiq added that there are also other reasons for these prohibitions.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the central Iraqi government differ in their implementation of some customs regulations.
“Even if those [customs] orders were implemented, those checkpoints still exist on the way and the situation will be same,” said Hussein Ahmad, head of Khanaqin customs.
Many checkpoints into central and southern Iraq are manned by Shiite militias.
Trade across the border was also decreased by 60 percent in April as lorry drivers were afraid to drive through central and southern Iraq for fear of kidnappings from Shiite groups.
According Khanaqin customs’ statistics, there used to some 1,500 trucks transporting goods from Iran to the Kurdistan Region. But the number has reduced to 200 now.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment