"Over 140,000 tons of non-oil goods, worth $74 million, were exported through customs in Iran’s north-western city of Astara during the first two months of current fiscal year, which started on March 20," the Head of Astara Customs Administration, Rasoul Omidi, said, adding that Iran’s exports via Astara registered a significant rise of 138% in terms of volume and 136% in terms of value, year-on-year.

Agriculture and food products, cement, plaster, chemicals, detergents, handicrafts, textile, shoes, bags, carpet, construction materials, mineral products, metals and plastic products were the main export items, Fars news agency reported on May 26.

“Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia were the main destinations for the exported items” the official added.

Omidi further said that Iran imported about 39,000 tons of goods, worth $25 million, including chemicals, woods, machinery, electric goods and iron products, via the Astara customs during the 2-month period, from Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

“Over 11,000 tons of goods, worth $27 million, were transited through Astara into Iran in the period,” he noted.

Goods including wooden and oil products, cotton, synthetic fibres, iron ingots, copper, fiberglass and iron sheets were transited from Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia and Ukraine to Turkey, Iraq and the UAE, Omidi said.

“Also 40,000 tons of goods, worth $184 million, including electrical appliances, cars, furniture, machinery, medical equipment, construction materials, textile products, chemicals, glass containers and agricultural products were transited via the Astara checkpoint to Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia and Ukraine” the official said.

The Islamic Republic also exported 24 tons of goods, including agricultural and food products as well as plastic materials, worth $22,000, to Azerbaijan via the suitcase trade from the Astara customs during the 2-month period, Omidi added.

More than 168,000 people crossed the border checkpoint in Astara during the current fiscal year and passenger traffic into Azerbaijan from Iran via Astara registered a 28% increase and vice versa 30% rise in the 2-month period.

Iranian Astara Customs' total income reached 100.6 billion Iranian Rials during the same span of time, which is 68% more compared to the same months of the preceding year.

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