According to the Mehr News Agency reporter, Turkey has exported an average of $12 billion to Iraq in the last 5 years, which has been achieved through only two border crossings and utilizing technological infrastructure, especially X-ray machines. Meanwhile, Iran, with 7 border crossings, especially the strategic Shalamcheh crossing, has exported an average of $5.9 billion worth of goods to Iraq annually. The lack of X-ray machines is one of the main reasons for this export difference in the Iraqi market.
Trade relations between countries in the current world are one of the strategies governments use for economic growth. In this regard, relations with neighbors are more prioritized for governments and traders of any country due to territorial proximity and consequently lower cost and faster goods transfer.
In other words, if a trader wants to import goods into their country or export to another country, they naturally prefer to trade with a country that is closer to their location. This way, they can conduct their trade with less cost and time, and in such a context, neighboring countries are prioritized. In West Asian regional countries, Turkey has achieved high income from goods exports, especially to neighbors, in recent years; such that according to statistics, the country reached a historic record of $255 billion in exports in 2023.
Among these, Iraq is one of the countries to which Turkey, as its northern neighbor, has significant exports. So much so that in 2024 alone, Turkey exported $12 billion to Iraq. This volume of exports has been achieved only through two border crossings: Habur in northwestern Iraq as the main gateway for bilateral trade and Ozumlu in northern Iraq.
This table clearly shows that Turkey exported an average of $12 billion to Iraq between 2020 and 2024. This export volume exists while Iran, with 7 border terminals and during the same period, exported an average of $12 billion worth of goods to Iraq.
Now the question is, why does such an issue exist? One of the main reasons is the long inspection time for truck traffic at Iran’s borders compared to the short inspection time at Turkey’s crossings. In fact, one of the advantages of the Fishkhabur border terminal as the main trade crossing between Iraq and Turkey is the presence of advanced X-ray machines at this terminal, which has significantly accelerated Turkey’s trade with Iraq.
Also, according to a report by the Middle East news base, this terminal set a record in 2021 by exchanging 4,000 trucks between Iraq and Turkey in 24 hours. This terminal plays a significant role in Turkey’s exports to Iraq by exporting 500,000 containers to Iraq annually, worth $10 billion.
Meanwhile, Shalamcheh crossing, as one of the main border crossings between Iran and Iraq with high geographical and commercial capacity, despite the installation of an X-ray machine since 2019, remains unused, and only 400 trucks pass through this terminal daily.
The non-operation of this machine has created two fundamental problems;
Negative impact on the speed of trade between Iran and Iraq: The non-use of X-ray machines at Shalamcheh terminal has led to inspections being conducted by human force, which is a lengthy and time-consuming process, resulting in long queues of trucks to cross Shalamcheh border. These long queues, in addition to reducing trade speed, cause truck drivers to increase freight charges to Shalamcheh due to long waits, and ultimately this reduces the motivation of traders and producers to trade through this route.
Meanwhile, according to Article 45 of the Export and Import Regulations Law: “All imported and exported goods must undergo technical inspections, including X-ray scanning and possible sampling, before clearance.”
Occurrence of security problems due to the lack of X-ray machines: In addition to prolonging the inspection process, another disadvantage of human inspection is its low accuracy and the risk of prohibited goods such as weapons entering or leaving the country. So much so that the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, in a public meeting at the beginning of the year at the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), referring to the necessity of using X-ray machines, stated: “From such and such port, for example, three thousand to five thousand containers enter the country daily. Out of these three or five thousand, only 150 containers are inspected! Well, why? The rest are not inspected and come in.”
According to Mehr, Arvand Free Zone Organization, which according to its statute is the main responsible for the development, prosperity, and security of Shalamcheh terminal, must quickly employ truck X-ray machines to provide the grounds for trade development and sustainable security for this terminal and the Arvand region.
