The US-based Caspian Policy Center (CPC), one of the leading analytical structures in the US, is organizing the 8th Annual Trans-Caspian Forum titled “How to Maximize the Middle Corridor” on May 21 in Washington.
“Collaborating with the embassies of the Caspian region, South Caucasus, and neighboring countries—such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan—we are arranging a Middle Corridor forum,” the CPC website reported.
Amid the energy and security challenges stemming, CPC experts emphasize the crucial necessity for strategic engagement between the US and the Caspian region.
“The recent global paradigm shift underscores the imperative for the US to reassess its alliances and assist nations in this pivotal region to bolster their economic sovereignty through enhanced connectivity and trade, notably via the Middle Corridor,” the statement highlighted.
Consequently, the inaugural panel of the Trans-Caspian Forum will focus on “Building on the United States-Caspian Strategic Partnership.”
Distinguished guests such as US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell, Homeland Security Advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, USAID representative Isobel Coleman, and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets Arun Venkataraman have been invited to participate in the forum.
Richard Eugene Hoagland, former American Ambassador and Chairman of the Board of the Caspian Policy Center, along with Deputy Foreign Ministers from invited states (including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan), will address the forum on the development of the Caspian region.
The second panel will focus on “Maximizing Development Impact: Prioritization and Coordination” and will directly address the Middle Corridor route.
“This multimodal corridor offers the most direct path for goods traveling from China to Europe, being 3,000 kilometers shorter than the northern route via Russia. In January of this year, the EU declared its commitment to allocate $10.8 billion to bolster the Middle Corridor link between Europe and Central Asia. It’s crucial now to ascertain how governments and international financial institutions intend to synchronize and prioritize the diverse investments and policies essential for establishing an efficient and contemporary transport route,” the CPC experts say.
The panel discussion will include Ambassador Erin Elizabeth McKee representing USAID, Henrik Hololei from the European Commission, Tamar Jejeia Satterwhite from the US Department of Commerce, and Winnie Wang, Lead Infrastructure Specialist and Program Leader, Europe and Central Asia program at the World Bank.
The third panel, titled “How to Do Business Better Along the Middle Corridor: Experts Discuss Needs and Opportunities,” will feature Eugene Seah, Chief Operating Officer, Baku International Sea Trade Port, and Mamuka Murjikneli, CEO, Wondernet Investment Group. Also invited to this panel are Carolyn Lamm, Chairman of the Board, American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce; Greg Sbrocco, Executive Vice President, Global Operations, Wabtec Corporation; and Alice Wong, Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Officer, Cameco.
It’s worth noting that the Middle Corridor is under scrutiny by the global community for facilitating trade between two major economies, China and the EU.
An online-meeting took place between representatives of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Customs and Trade of the Republic of Turkey. This is reported on the website of the customs department of Turkmenistan.
During the meeting, the draft Agreement on the Simplified Customs Corridor (SCC) and the Protocol on the establishment of the Joint Customs Committee were reviewed.
The creation of the Joint Customs Committee should facilitate the organization of effective customs cooperation within the framework of the implementation of bilateral agreements concluded between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Turkey.
The Simplified Customs Corridor project is an exchange of preliminary information about goods between the customs services of Turkmenistan and Turkey. This information will be used during customs control.
During the UN’s first annual Sustainability Week, IRU’s Secretary General outlined key actions to continue advancing the sustainability of road transport and its role in global development.
How do we leverage the social inclusivity and sustainability of road transport to achieve the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?
That’s the question IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto tackled at the UN General Assembly this week in New York.
“Transport keeps us fed, healthy and supplied with the essentials of life. It brings us to our workplace and connects us with our loved ones. It is essential to the lives and livelihoods of all eight billion people that we share this planet with.
“All modes of transport must work together to get people and goods to their destinations. They must all become greener and proactively support social inclusion, especially for the poorest communities in our world.
“Greening transport is a marathon, not a sprint. We cannot wait for 2050 and then press a ‘magic button’. We need to pursue a mix of different policies in parallel – right now.
“Pragmatic efficiency measures – like longer vehicles, better route optimisation and driver training – may be less exciting than new fuel technologies, but if we are more efficient, we are greener. With the right enabling environment, legislation and incentives, we can already reduce our carbon footprint by 50%.”
The IRU Green Compact, a collective global roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality in commercial road transport by 2050, has found that pragmatic efficiency measures are key to decarbonisation efforts, as important as alternative fuels over the short and long term.
Umberto de Pretto also emphasised the crucial role of tried-and-test UN trade tools in improving not only the efficiency of transit and transport but also its sustainability.
“How can trucks inching forward at borders for hours, days and even weeks – while emitting carbon emissions – be sustainable? We have tools such as the UN TIR Convention that has worked for over seven decades. Real live transport operations show that streamlining border crossings using the TIR system reduces the carbon emissions of a cross-border journey by up to 30%,” highlighted Umberto de Pretto.
“We need to maximise the power of the instruments at our disposal. Any country not part of the TIR system must accelerate its accession and implementation. Governments don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Just rather look at what has been working for decades,” he added.
What else needs to be done?
Looking forward to the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport, Umberto de Pretto detailed three specific suggestions:
Firstly, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Expert Group Meeting on Sustainable Transport, which consists of representative stakeholders, should become an annual event to share experiences, best practices, successes and failures for the Decade of Action for Sustainable Transport.
Secondly, the number of ratified and implemented UN Conventions, such as TIR, CMR and ADR, should be used as key indicators to monitor progress.
Thirdly, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Public-private cooperation is required to implement pragmatic regional and local pathways to carbon neutrality. The IRU Green Compact is based on regional flexibility in terms of evidence gathering, testing and scaling up of solutions.
Umberto de Pretto concluded, “IRU looks forward to playing an active role in the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport. We, together with governments, need to pursue all measures available to ensure that decarbonisation does not compromise the key role of transport in economic and social development.”
Turkmenbashi International Seaport announces a grandiose action: 50% discount for all types of transit cargo.
Take advantage of this profitable opportunity Reduce freight transportation costs. Increase the volume of transit transportation. Choose Turkmenbashi Port as a reliable partner for your business.
Promotion terms and conditions
Discount is given to all shippers, regardless of the country of origin or destination of cargo.
The discount applies to all types of transit cargoes, including containers, general and bulk cargoes.
To receive the discount, please fill in an application form on the port’s website or at the company’s office.
Free business lunch Turkmenbashi Port and Charlak restaurant give all drivers a free business lunch as part of the campaign.
In order to get a business lunch you need to: •Arrive at Turkmenbashi Port by car. •Go to the business lunch points of Charlak restaurant, which is located on the territory of the port and show the voucher, which will be given to you at the entrance to the port territory.
Members of the IRU Commission on Customs Affairs (CAD) have discussed key measures to optimise trade and transit as well as the growing interest in the TIR system amid the Red Sea crisis.
CAD members focused on key developments in global trade and transport.
Reliable, sustainable and resilient door-to-door TIR transports have become even more important in today’s volatile geopolitical environment, which has most recently been rocked by the Red Sea crisis.
Transport corridors have shifted, and longer itineraries, including ones exceeding 8,000km, have demonstrated the unique efficiency of TIR.
IRU President Radu Dinescu said, “The global trade community, including exporters and importers, manufactures and freight-forwarders, are increasingly interested in TIR. The clear advantages that they associate with TIR are reduced transport times and costs, increased predictability of deliveries, minimised risk of freight damage, and enhanced cargo security.
“Meetings such as CAD are very important to determine the best approaches to alleviate the burdens facing transit and transport, and to facilitate trade with the efficiency, speed and security offered by TIR.”
“Last year marked IRU’s 75th anniversary. 2024 is another special year as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the TIR system. I encourage everyone to share more TIR success stories,” he added.
CAD President Michaela Havelkova said, “It is very pragmatic and wise that trade partners are favouring transport services provided by reliable and highly professional TIR operators and drivers who transport cargo in highly secure TIR vehicles and containers certified by customs.”
“To maximise these benefits, we should further unlock their potential through TIR initiatives and projects, such as TIR-EPD and TIR Green Lanes,” she added.
In various regions, customs authorities have implemented dedicated “express lanes” for TIR trucks to ease congestion at borders and receive advance information for risk management via the TIR-EPD system. Risk-based facilitation allows customs authorities to separate traffic flows and handle low-risk cargo faster.
The CAD meeting also focused on the digitalisation of transport operations, including eTIR and e-CMR developments, TIR best practices in various regions, and how to support the evolving corridors and foster synergies between different modes of transport.
About CAD
CAD aims to improve the efficiency and security of border crossings, including through the increased use of TIR.
The Commission informs partners on flexibility and security at borders, and monitors trade facilitation legislation.
IRU was at the heart of the 86th Inland Transport Committee (ITC) debates last week, outlining key decarbonisation and trade facilitation opportunities ahead.
It was a busy week in Geneva. Road transport actors from around the world were in town for the 86th ITC session, including delegations from the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)’s 56 member states and far beyond.
The week featured ITC working group meetings, including on road traffic safety, vehicle regulation harmonisation, the transport of dangerous goods, border crossing facilitation, and intermodal transport.
The 86th session also included a host of events and bilaterals. Here’s a snippet of IRU’s participation and high-level meetings.
Leading decarbonisation debate
On Tuesday, kick-off day, the efficient decarbonisation of road transport took centre stage, with IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto moderating a high-level ministerial panel on how to accelerate the decarbonisation of road transport.
Setting the scene, Umberto de Pretto initiated the discussion by highlighting that “the road transport industry is committed to become carbon neutral by 2050. The IRU Green Compact offers a pragmatic and realistic decarbonisation pathway to ensure that our industry can continue to meet increasing transport demand. But we need to move from ambition to action. With global coordination and genuine public-private partnerships, we can get it done.”
“We cannot wait for 2050 and then press the ‘magic button’. We need to pursue a mix of different policies right now. Governments need to provide enabling conditions that will allow transport operators to drive immediate efficiency wins, therefore cut CO2 emissions, as well as to invest in alternative fuel technologies over the longer term,” he added.
The panellists agreed that decarbonisation requires a holistic approach that leaves no one behind and incorporates economic development, social equity and environmental protection. They also emphasised the key role of UNECE in harmonising, coordinating and integrating approaches regionally and globally.
Sustainability side event
Then on Thursday, Umberto de Pretto was a panellist on a roundtable organised by the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), titled “Towards Sustainable Transportation: Best Practices, Challenges and Solutions”, which was moderated by Vepa Hajiyev, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to UNOG.
Umberto de Pretto said, “As we’ve seen time and time again, road transport turns landlocked countries, such as Turkmenistan, into land-linked transport hubs. That’s one reason why we were delighted to see Turkmenistan champion and successfully advance the adoption of the UN World Sustainable Transport Day resolution.”
“Across the world, commercial road transport – trucks, vans, buses, coaches and taxis – is the lifeblood of economies and communities in all countries, moving people and goods across countries and continents. I encourage all governments to implement TIR and its IT tools to optimise border crossings and stop trucks from idling at borders for hours and days on,” he added.
Green borders
Finally on Friday, IRU’s TIR and Transit Director, Tatiana Rey-Bellet, unpacked how TIR and border-cross facilitation measures are helping the sector to decarbonise during UNECE’s roundtable titled “Fostering the digital and green transition for inland transport in support of the Sustainable Development Agenda”.
Following opening remarks by UNECE’s Deputy Executive Secretary (Dmitry Mariyasin) and Chief of Section, Transport Networks and Logistics, Sustainable Transport Division (Francesco Dionori), Tatiana Ray-Bellet highlighted how shorter border crossing times enabled by TIR can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 1 tonne per truck per journey:
“With eTIR, the transport of new and used TIR carnets between IRU and TIR associations, which is mostly done by air, won’t be necessary anymore. Furthermore, eTIR will make it much easier to bring TIR benefits to the service of intermodal transport, thus opening new opportunities for the efficient combination of different transport modes,” she added.
Tatiana Rey-Bellet further called on all TIR countries to accelerate their transition to eTIR.
“Since all necessary business-to-business and business-to-customs exchanges have been implemented, TIR countries need to complete the last remaining piece of connectivity: interconnection with the eTIR international system hosted by UNECE,” she concluded.
High-level bilaterals
Throughout the week, IRU also held high-level bilateral talks with international organisations and national delegations, including with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on TIR and transport facilitation, and with Azerbaijan and the UN’s climate change body on preparatory work ahead of COP 29.
In a meeting with Daryush Amani, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Transport and the President of the Road Maintenance and Transport Organisation (RMTO), IRU and RMTO reviewed joint projects, including on driver training and certification projects, and agreed on next steps.
They also discussed how IRU can help RMTO to improve transit policies and procedures as well as physical controls and congestion at borders.
IRU held other high-level meetings, including with the Secretaries General of the International Transport Forum, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).
Umberto de Pretto and ECO Secretary General Khusrav Noziri discussed avenues to strengthen public-private partnerships through the newly established ECO TIR Associations Consultative Group (TIRACG), underlining the importance of implementing the group’s recommendations in order to enact ECO’s initiatives to advance international transport and transit.
The two also touched on other pressing issues such as the digitalisation of transport and transit documents, including eTIR implementation, joint capacity-building activities, and visa facilitation for drivers.
The efficient decarbonisation of road transport took centre stage at the United Nations Inland Transport Committee’s kick-off day in Geneva.
At the 86th United Nations Inland Transport Committee, IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto moderated a high-level ministerial panel on how to accelerate the decarbonisation of road transport, including available efficiency measures and infrastructure requirements.
Setting the scene, Umberto de Pretto opened the discussion by highlighting that “the road transport industry is committed to become carbon neutral by 2050. The IRU Green Compact offers a pragmatic and realistic decarbonisation pathway to ensure that our industry can continue to meet increasing transport demand. But we need to move from ambition to action. With global coordination and genuine public-private partnerships, we can get it done.”
“We cannot wait for 2050 and then press the ‘magic button’. We need to pursue a mix of different policies right now. Governments need to provide enabling conditions that will allow transport operators to drive immediate efficiency wins, therefore cut CO₂ emissions, as well as to invest in alternative fuel technologies over the longer term,” he added.
The panellists agreed that decarbonisation requires a holistic approach that leaves no one behind and incorporates economic development, social equity and environmental protection. They also emphasised the key role of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in harmonising, coordinating and integrating approaches regionally and globally.
Umberto de Pretto also held a series of high-level bilateral talks with international organisations and national delegations, including with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on TIR and transport facilitation, and with Azerbaijan and the UN’s climate change body on preparatory work ahead of COP 29.
IRU held other high-level meetings with the Secretaries General of the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and the International Transport Forum.
The Inland Transport Committee is the UN platform for inland transport tasked with helping to efficiently address global and regional needs in inland transport.
IRU unpacked road-rail digitalisation opportunities to boost the efficiency and transparency of trade at the European Commission’s “Investors Forum for EU-Central Asia Transport Connectivity” in Brussels.
Bringing together Central Asian countries, EU Member States and institutions, international financial organisations, and the private sector, the Forum looked to translate the conclusions of the EU-commissioned study on “Sustainable transport connections between Europe and Central Asia” into tangible operational deliverables.
The study showed that the digitalisation of transport documents reduced errors, increased transparency and curtailed corruption, thus decreasing administrative time and trade costs. Digitalisation also has a positive environmental impact due to the reduced use of paper and the transport of paper documents.
IRU contributed to the study, which prioritised soft connectivity measures, particularly through the digitalisation of transport documents with the implementation of eTIR and e-CMR, working closely with with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Speaking on the “Interoperability and Harmonisation for Connectivity” panel, IRU stressed that the transition to digitalisation is a timely opportunity to optimise the handling of transport data.
IRU Director of TIR and Transit Tatiana Rey-Bellet said, “Both road and rail transport use consignment notes as accompanying documents. CMR covers road transport, while CIM and SMSG are for rail transport. These instruments have the same function, serving as proof of contract for the carriage of goods and defining carriers’ liabilities. They also use very similar data. The transition to digitalisation should leverage existing platforms and data channels to minimise data handling and enhance the transparency of trade.”
“Close coordination between the organisations dealing with rail and road transport as well as among the authorities of the Trans-Caspian Transport Network countries are necessary to progress in this direction. The next step towards further harmonisation is to ensure their interoperability through digitalisation,” she added.
“All countries of the Trans-Caspian Transport Network are Contracting Parties to the United Nations TIR Convention. We just have to leverage all the advantages it offers. TIR is also supported by IT tools which allow customs authorities to receive advance cargo information for risk management, offering a solid foundation for risk-based transit facilitation.
UNECE and IRU are also working closely with customs authorities of countries along the Trans-Caspian Corridor to ensure a swift transition to eTIR.
“Coordination should hinge on a joint regional strategy. IRU will continue representing the interests of the private sector and drive initiatives contributing to better connectivity between Central Asia and Europe,” she concluded.
Shenzhen is accelerating the development of TIR transport corridors connecting China to Central Asia to facilitate growing trade volumes, slashing delivery times.
A Chinese TIR truck, loaded with electronic products, started its 6,500-kilometre door-to-door journey from Shenzhen, exiting China via the Irkeshtam border crossing, travelling through Kyrgyzstan, before arriving at its destination in only seven days, rather than 20 days by road without TIR.
IRU Director of TIR and Transit Tatiana Rey-Bellet said, “The opening of this new route along the strategically important China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan corridor will help southern China’s manufacturing hub of Shenzhen to further enhance its connectivity with Central Asia.”
“Companies in Shenzhen will greatly benefit from the new trade route as well as the highly efficient, secure and door-to-door road transport made possible with TIR,” she added.
By making TIR operational from the southern inland city of Shenzhen, China’s leading trade hub and home to many technology businesses and trading companies, border procedures can be further simplified, cutting transit times and costs.
Uzbek hauliers are also exploring other trade routes to China. Three TIR trucks have successfully arrived in Foshan city in southern China after departing from Uzbekistan, travelling through Kazakhstan and inland China.
This increases the number of Chinese TIR operational inland cities to 14, offering more secure transport options that are over 80% faster and 50% cheaper.
From China to Brazil, 2023 saw the TIR system continue to expand, evolve and attract newcomers. This year-in-review article spotlights ten key TIR developments from 2023.
Approaching its 75th anniversary, TIR, the only global transit system, continues to be the easiest, most secure and most reliable way to move goods across borders.
TIR, which offers a guarantee of up to EUR 100,000 per operation, gets goods efficiently and securely from a country of origin, through as many transit countries as necessary, to a country of destination in sealed load compartments, with customs inspections taking place only at the place of origin and destination.
Here are ten TIR developments from 2023 showcasing the impact of the system.
Recognising the significance of a new country joining TIR, Umberto de Pretto, IRU’s Secretary General, had then commented, “Iraq’s accession to TIR is a golden opportunity to confirm the country’s readiness to leverage the potential of international trade in supporting economic growth and driving prosperity and development.”
The implementation of TIR in Iraq, a country surrounded by TIR operational neighbours, with Iran and Türkiye being two of the biggest TIR issuing countries, will harmonise trade and transit, boosting transparency and efficiency.
Over 15 new routes were launched this year, notably linking China with Afghanistan, Mongolia, Central Asia, and Pakistan, further diversifying regional transport routes to facilitate growing trade.
Eleven new customs checkpoints have opened for TIR operations, most located in inland logistics hubs, where companies can enjoy unique benefits, streamlined border procedures, and secure door-to-door delivery.
In 2023, for the first time, a complete TIR movement was conducted by a Chinese company. With Chinese companies’ growing interest and confidence in international road transport business and TIR, the total number of Chinese TIR hauliers doubled this year.
TIR now connects China with more than 30 countries across Eurasia, offering more secure transport options that are over 80% faster and 50% cheaper.
3. GCC growth
TIR has been expanding rapidly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, from Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Saudi Arabia, and most recently Qatar, significantly reducing border-crossing times and boosting regional trade.
In the second half of 2023, the GCC experienced an exponential growth in demand for TIR compared to 2022.
GCC governments are now increasingly expediting TIR’s implementation. Having witnessed the facilitation and security benefits brought by the system, GCC governments such as Saudi Arabia have now introduced dedicated express lanes for TIR trucks, a business-to-government TIR IT integration system, faster handling, and dedicated parking areas.
The Bioceanic Corridor is a highway that will span the full width of South America, from Brazil to Chile, opening new export opportunities from the Pacific, especially to China.
The conference was attended by senators, transport authorities and operators from across the country, Paraguayan senators and representatives from the Ministry of Transport, as well as public and private sector participants from Argentina.
IRU is working with its members and public authorities to support Brazil’s accession to TIR, as well as TIR’s implementation in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
5. TIR Green Lanes
Building on TIR’s efficiency benefits, countries are increasingly adding TIR Green Lanes at their borders.
TIR Green Lanes (express lanes at border crossings for TIR traffic) cut border crossing times, optimise transit flows with risk management mechanisms, and increase transit security.
In May, Turkmenistan established Green Lanes at ten border crossings with Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to prioritise customs clearance for TIR transport, as communicated in an IRU Flash Info.
In Kyrgyzstan, operators and shippers who send advance cargo information to Kyrgyz customs via TIR-EPD can now benefit from dedicated processing booths at the Dostuk border, the implementation of which was supported by the Organization of Turkic States.
The goods departed from Latvia and transited Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Türkiye, Iran via the Bandar Abbas port and then to the United Arab Emirates using a Ro-Ro vessel and finally the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, before arriving at its destination in Kuwait.
Two drivers alternated to drive through the 13 countries according to regional driving and rest time rules.
As the only global transit system, the TIR system allowed the truck to seamlessly and intermodally pass countries and customs along the way.
7. Digitalisation
Central Asia is at the heart of east-west connectivity. With trade facilitation tools such as TIR, landlocked Central Asian countries have turned themselves into land-linked regional trade hubs.
They are also leading the way in TIR digitalisation. Central Asia’s private sector and customs administrations, with the support of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), have fully digitalised business to customs data exchanges, raising TIR’s security to a new level with advance risk management of TIR operations.
ECO-TIRACG was created to relay the private sector’s inputs to ECO bodies on transport and transit facilitation and further leverage the TIR system, which is experiencing an upward trend in ECO countries such as Azerbaijan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The ECO-TIRACG meeting also weighed other border crossing best practices, including TIR Green Lanes, intelligent queueing and e-queueing mechanisms, and simplified visa and permit procedures.
In early 2023, Huawei joined the likes of FedEx Express and DB Schenker by turning to TIR to better serve customers in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the GCC region.
Huawei is now enjoying remarkable time savings when delivering their products under TIR. TIR has been used for 1,800 Huawei deliveries so far.
The TIR system is operational across the GCC, reducing transport times between Jordan and the UAE via Saudi Arabia by 50%, over 70% between Oman and Saudi Arabia, and over 90% between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
10. Aid delivery
Following the devastating earthquake that hit Eastern Türkiye and northern Syria in February 2023, the TIR system was used to efficiently transport humanitarian supplies across borders.
Pakistani operator NLC transported humanitarian aid – including tents, blankets and other basic aid supplies – to Türkiye via Iran, using TIR and the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) corridor.
