Iran eases entry of vehicles from Armenia 

ArmInfo. The Touring and Automobile Club of Iran has introduced a new initiative to facilitate  the entry of vehicles from Armenia into the Islamic Republic.

The program, aimed at reducing customs procedures and expediting  cross-border travel, was officially launched in a ceremony attended  by Iran's Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts,  Reza Salehi Amiri on Saturday.

Under the initiative, Armenian citizens traveling to Iran can now  obtain a Carnet de Passages, or customs transit document, for their  vehicles, allowing them to enter the country with minimal delay.

The project, which kicked off via video conference on the second day  of Iran's National Tourism Week, seeks to simplify customs  formalities and enhance international road travel between Iran and  neighboring countries.

The ceremony held in a Tehran hotel was attended by several other  officials, including Ali-Asghar Shalbafian, the deputy tourism  minister, and Mohammad-Hossein Soufi, the club's managing director.

In a live video connection from the Norduz border terminal in East  Azerbaijan province, which borders Armenia, Shahab Malmir,  spokesperson for the Touring and Automobile Club, oversaw the  temporary entry of the first Armenian vehicle into Iran. The official  entry was authorized by Minister Salehi Amiri during the live  broadcast.

Moreover, the plan is intended to cut down on intermediaries, reduce  costs and waiting times at the border, and promote international road  travel. It is expected to boost Iran's tourism industry, strengthen  ties with neighboring countries, and attract more tourists from  Armenia and beyond.

The Touring & Automobile Club is affiliated with the Ministry of  Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts. Its tasks include  facilitating the travel of owners of vehicles abroad or foreign  tourists who are traveling to Iran in their own vehicles. The  institution also helps develop tourism by establishing tourism  information offices at home and abroad, as well as developing  infrastructures and tourism services.