Iran, Azerbaijan seek to remove need for Iranian trucks to pay heavy taxes 

Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Rostam Qassemi held talks in Tehran with visiting Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev on enhancing economic and trade ties, Report informs, citing Tasnim News Agency.

Qassemi said on Sunday that he had discussed an array of economic issues with Mustafayev.

He said Iran and Azerbaijan would seek to remove obstacles hampering trade between the two countries, including the need for Iranian trucks to pay heavy taxes while passing through the Azerbaijani territory.

“We will examine the issue of tolls on Iranian trucks and (how) to facilitate transportation ties between the two countries,” said Qassemi, adding that he would raise the tolling issue in a private meeting with Mustafayev.

Mustafayev, who heads a high-level delegation in his visit to Tehran, said after the meeting with Qassemi that Baku was keen to expand its relations with Iran in all economic sectors.

He said that there would be some good news in the near future about increased energy cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan, including joint oil and gas projects between the two countries.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran in January-September 2021 amounted to $293.265 million, up 21.9% from the previous year. Exports from Azerbaijan to Iran dropped by 29.9% to $21.057 million, imports from Iran grew by 29.4% to $272.208 million.