In import transport from Iran to Turkey, the cargo is loaded in Iran, enters Turkey through a gate such as Bazargan–Gürbulak and is cleared with an import declaration either at the border or at an inland customs office it reaches under customs transit, for example in Mersin. If required, the cargo can also be placed in a bonded warehouse. To benefit from the preferential tariff, an Iranian proof of origin is needed.
What does import transport from Iran mean?
Import transport from Iran means bringing goods produced or bought in Iran to Turkey by road and either releasing them for free circulation through import clearance or placing them in a bonded warehouse. The direction is the reverse of exports to Iran, but the document set, the origin rules and insurance responsibility are rebuilt from the importer's point of view. The customs steps on the Turkish side are explained in the import customs clearance process.
What does the transport market look like in this direction?
According to a table published by the Turkish Embassy in Tehran based on TurkStat data, Turkey's imports from Iran were about USD 2.45 billion in 2024. According to a July 2026 report in the business daily Dünya based on Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) data, road import trips from Iran to Turkey fell by 15% to 41,879 in January–May 2026. Of these trips, 33,974 were made by Iranian-registered trucks and 6,974 by Turkish-registered trucks; import trips by Turkish-registered trucks fell by 48%. The demands of the International Transporters' Association (UND) reported in the same article included allowing Turkish hauliers to load in more cities in Iran rather than only in certain regions. This is why the loading city is the first thing to be settled in an import quote.
How does the process run step by step?
- Terms of sale: Incoterms determine who bears the risk and who pays for freight and insurance.
- Loading in Iran: the seller completes export formalities on the Iranian side through its own customs representative; the truck is sent to the loading address on a date that fits these formalities.
- Border crossing: the truck leaves Iran at Bazargan and enters Turkey at Gürbulak. Other gates are compared in Turkey–Iran border crossings.
- Choice of customs office of destination: the cargo is either cleared at the entry gate or moves under customs supervision to an inland customs office, for example in Mersin.
- Import declaration: customs value, duties and any trade policy measures are calculated at this stage.
- Delivery: goods released for free circulation are taken to the buyer's address.
| Destination option | When it is preferred | Point to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Import clearance at the border | When the buyer is in an eastern province or the documents are ready | Congestion at the gate can prolong the process |
| Import clearance at an inland customs office | When the buyer is in cities such as Mersin or Istanbul | Customs transit and a guarantee are required |
| Bonded warehouse | When duties are to be deferred or goods released in instalments | Storage charges and warehouse rules apply |
Carriage under customs control means moving goods under seal from one customs office to another without paying duties; this is why the guarantee and the time limit matter. The concept is explained in carriage under customs control, and the warehouse option in what a bonded warehouse is.
How can the preferential tariff be used?
The Turkey–Iran Preferential Trade Agreement entered into force in 2015. For reduced duty on products covered by the agreement, customs requires an Iranian proof of origin; a general certificate of origin does not prove preferential origin. The document is covered in the Iranian proof of origin, and the difference between the two kinds of origin in preferential and non-preferential origin.
How are insurance and compliance handled?
In Turkey, cargo insurance for imported goods is not compulsory; the details are in import cargo insurance. Sanctions regimes also apply in the import direction; the eligibility of the goods, the seller and the payment is assessed by the parties.
What does Voltim Global handle on Iran-related transport?
Voltim Global has no office or agent in Iran; loading coordination, customs transit documents, the border crossing and delivery are managed by the Voltim Global operations team. Entry into Turkey from Iran and customs formalities at the office of destination in Mersin are also a routine part of the transit trips the company runs from Russia via Iran; on that transit lane alone, 24 trucks were dispatched between mid-August and the end of September 2026. For a price, share the loading city in Iran, the delivery address in Turkey, the type of goods, packed dimensions and gross weight and the date the cargo will be ready. Details are on the Turkey–Iran road freight, Russia–Iran–Turkey transit freight and bonded and transit transport pages.