MNA � In a video conference, the Head of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) gave Turkish deputy trade minister 10 suggestions for easing and expanding the mutual ties between Tehran and Istanbul.

The Head of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) Mehdi Mirashrafi in the video conference with Turkish Deputy Minister of Trade Riza Tuna Turagay put forward the following suggestions, asking for required follow-up measures to be taken by the Turkish side.

1. Iran suggests holding an introductory online meeting among the IT experts of the two parties on Tuesday, September 16th, to discuss the requirements and set the schedule for an upcoming face-to-face border meeting at Bazargan-Gorbolagh customs as well as the pilot implementation of a finalized project for electronic and online exchange of customs information,

2. The Islamic Republic also calls for pursuing the possibility of electronic inquiry of the origin certificate from the affiliated authorities in Turkey,

3. Iran Customs voices its readiness for signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Turkish counterpart for implementation of a project of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) and simplified green corridor customs,

4. Iran urges Turkey to increase the acceptance capacity of trucks at Gorbalag and Essen Darreh customs in Turkey by improving sanitation and quarantine facilities at the borders,

5. Tehran wants Istanbul to remove the imposed restrictions on the reception of Iranian travelers to Turkey,

6. Iran urges Turkey to increase the time span for receiving Iranian passengers at Gorbalagh Customs,

7. To prevent the congestion of exported goods from Iran in the customs area of Gorbalagh in Turkey, the Turkish government is asked to do its required investigations on the specified Iranian goods at Do?ubayaz?t border,

8. Iran announced its drivers' dissatisfaction with the services provided and the lack of sanitary facilities at the Gorbalagh customs parking lot in Turkey and calls for required measures to be taken,

9. Iran wants the acceptance of wagons Kapikoy-Razi border t be increased, and

10. Iran criticized the frequent damages made to Iranian exported goods during assessment procedures carried by the Turkish side at Gorbalagh Customs.

The Iranian official said that the Turkish side, for his part, has asked for lifting of the ban on the imports of 68 items of goods subject to preferential tariffs and finalization of the third phase of the e-TIR project between the two sides.

Mirashrafi added that due to the significant decrease in foreign trade between the two sides, in the first five months of this year (starting March 20, 2021) compared to the same period last year, the parties emphasized on removing existing barriers and reviewing all solutions to increase trade to compensate for the decline in trade balance in the remaining months of this year.

It is worth noting that on September 9, and on the sidelines of the meeting held between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan through video conference, the two countries explored avenues for reaching $30 billion bilateral trade.