With the TIR system, Iraq is a “highway” from Türkiye to the Gulf.
With the TIR system, Iraq is a “highway” from Türkiye to the Gulf.
2025-07-08 04:44
Shafaq News – Special Translation
Iraq, along with Turkey and Kuwait, has inaugurated a new land route between them. The Geneva-based International Road Transport Union (IRU) declared this a “major achievement” that will significantly reduce transit times, enhance trade efficiency and flexibility, and open up major Gulf markets to Turkey via Iraq.
The International Transport Union (ITU) stated in a report published on its website, and translated by Shafaq News Agency, that the Turkish company “Hasbayrak International Transport”, a leader in the logistics sector, successfully completed the first shipment using this route linking Turkey and Kuwait via Iraqi territory. This is in application of the international road transport system ” TIR “, which aims to facilitate the movement of goods by land via containers sealed by customs in the country of origin, with the lowest possible degree of border clearance procedures during transit.
According to the ILO report, three trucks loaded with fruits and vegetables departed from Turkey and arrived in Kuwait in just four days under the TIR system , a significant improvement compared to the traditional sea route, which takes 45 days.
The report noted that trucks registered in the TIR system crossed into Iraq via the Abdali border crossing, completing their customs procedures at the Kuwaiti port of Sulaibiya.
The report added that this step also represents the official reactivation of the TIR system in Kuwait, under the direction of the Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and with the support of the General Administration of Customs.
“I am very proud of the transformative impact that TIR is having in accelerating, facilitating, and securing trade,” said Tatania Re-Belle, Director of TIR Services at the International Transport Union (ITU), in the report . “With this new route through Iraq, which reduces transit time by more than 90%, consumers can enjoy fresh, high-quality produce, which will enhance the competitiveness of transport operators and improve the security of cross-border trade.”
According to Tatania Pellet, the International Road Transport Union commends the cooperation with its members and national authorities, which contributes to transforming this strategic trade route into a tangible reality that supports the reconstruction of Iraq.
The report quoted Hasan Bayrak, owner of the Turkish company Haspirik, as saying, “In the past, we had to use long and difficult roads to reach this region, but now that Iraq has opened its doors to business, the transportation route has become reliable, travel time is shorter, and the entire process has been simplified.”
According to Bayrak, as quoted in the report, the TIR system has made a huge difference, as customs procedures have become much faster and long waiting periods at border crossings have been reduced. It “brings real efficiency not only to us, as transport companies, but also to our customers, whether they are exporters or importers.”
The report quoted Bayrak as saying, “Direct access to high-potential markets such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE via Iraq represents a tremendous development for our sector. For Turkish international transport companies, opening this route via Iraq creates a qualitative shift.”
The report concluded by pointing out that the TIR system officially began operating in Iraq on April 1, 2025.
shafaq.com
