Long Queues at Dogharoun Border Disrupt Truck Traffic, Officials Say

The governor of Taybad says decisions and current procedures at the Dogharoun border have made it difficult for freight trucks to move and have caused dissatisfaction among Iranian and foreign drivers. He said the situation continues even though more than 1,400 trucks carrying export, transit and import goods cross daily through the Dogharoun and Islam Qala border points between Afghanistan and Iran.

Hossein Jamshidi said long queues at the Dogharoun border have become routine. He added that part of the problem stems from decisions by institutions based at the crossing regarding the procedures for trucks to leave, and that this process needs to be reviewed.

According to the governor of Taybad, the continuation of the existing obstacles should not create further challenges for the transit, import and especially export sectors. He also said reducing these problems and identifying the obstacles accurately could help attract investment and expand economic activity in Dogharoun.

Jamshidi described Dogharoun as one of Iran’s important commercial crossings in the east of the country and said local and national capacities should be used to solve the problems at this route. He also said launching the Dogharoun free trade-industrial zone is important for expanding trade with Afghanistan and some Central Asian countries.

The Dogharoun border in Taybad county is one of the main trade crossings between Afghanistan and Iran and is located near Islam Qala in Herat province. Herat is one of Afghanistan’s major commercial centres, and a significant share of trade between the two countries takes place through this route.