Kurdistan opens fourth official border crossing with Iran

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) opened its fourth international border crossing between Kurdistan and Iran.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Recently, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) opened its fourth international border crossing between Kurdistan and Iran.

Sayran Ban is the new official border crossing located in the town of Penjwen in Sulaimani Province.

For a few years, both governments were working on making the gate an international crossing.

“We have opened Sayran Ban to facilitate the work of businessmen and decrease the load on Bashmaq border crossing [located in the same province],” said the Governor of Sulaimani Aso Faraidoon.

He mentioned that the border crossing would create about 1,000 jobs for people of villages located near the gate. It would also facilitate tourists that cross the border.

The people of the area expressed their happiness at the opening of the border gate.

“Now, we can easily visit our relatives in the city of Bana [Kurdish for Baneh located in Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhelat)],” said a resident in Sayran Ban area on Saturday.

Sayran Ban is located 27 kilometers to the north of Bashmaq International Border Crossing.

In 2015, Bashmaq International Border Crossing had IQD 217 billion (US $183.5 million) in revenue, according to the KRG statistics.

The Kurdistan Region now possesses four international border crossings with Iran, including Haji Omaran (in Erbil Province), Parwezkhan, and Bashmaq.

Additionally, Iraq shares five more border passages with Iran which are Shalamja, Mundhiriya, al-Shib, Zarbatiya, and Mandali Soomar.

Regarding trade and investment in the Region, Turkish companies top the list with approximately 80 percent of all products sold in Kurdistan made in Turkey.

Companies in Iran are second with a lower investment, according to Invest Group.

 

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany