TEHRAN - Head of the Transport and Logistics Commission of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Peyman Sanandaji  has said that despite maritime restrictions, transport and trade officials say Iran’s trade has not come to a halt.
 From the activation of two rail and overland corridors with China to the use of routes through Turkey, Pakistan and Russia, the country’s logistics network is undergoing a major realignment.
Sanandaji on Sunday said in a televised interview that despite the country’s exceptional circumstances, none of Iran’s transportation routes had been completely blocked, with only maritime transport facing certain restrictions.
He noted that Iran is currently using multiple routes for the movement of goods, including the Turkish ports of Mersin, Iskenderun and Hopa, from where cargo enters Iran through the Bazargan and Sarv border crossings. He added that the Pakistan route via the ports of Karachi and Gwadar, the China corridors, and the Northern routes through Russia and the Eurasian countries also remain operational.
Highlighting the importance of trade with China, Sanandaji said that two main routes are currently active for transporting goods from China to Iran.
The first route begins at Khorgos, passes through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and enters Iran’s railway network via the Incheh Borun border crossing. The second route transfers containers to Kazakhstan’s Aktau Port before shipping them across the Caspian Sea to Northern Iranian ports, including Bandar Anzali.
Sanandaji also announced a joint meeting with officials from the Khorgos region, where it was proposed that the newly activated overland route between Iran and China be named the “Corridor of Light.”
He added that, in addition to transporting containers, the route is capable of carrying vehicles and that its capacity would increase if a transport agreement is signed between the governments of Iran and China.
The head of the Tehran Chamber’s Transport and Logistics Commission stressed that establishing transport corridors alone is not sufficient, saying Iran must also activate the capacity of its dry ports, including Aprin, Yazd, Kashan and Sarakhs, to improve cargo distribution.
He added that the excessive concentration of cargo at Shahid Rajaee Port has increased the vulnerability of the country’s logistics network, while distributing freight among multiple logistics centers would enhance both passive defense resilience and operational efficiency.
During the same program, Abdolsadeh Neisi, Director General for East Asia and Oceania at the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran, said regional security conditions had affected trade by increasing marine insurance and shipping costs, although alternative transport routes remain operational.