Iran’s Ardabil province is discussing plans to let tourists and business people cross freely into Azerbaijan through land border checkpoints, Governor Masoud Imami Yeganeh said.
Masoud Imami Yeganeh, governor of Iran’s Ardabil province, said Azerbaijan serves as the region’s main gateway to markets in the Caucasus and the Eurasian Economic Union member states. He said authorities are now discussing easier, unimpeded crossing for tourists and business people with Azerbaijan through land border points.
The governor said Azerbaijan’s geographic location, transport and logistics potential, and regional weight create a strong foundation for deepening trade ties between the two countries. He described these factors as key to boosting economic cooperation.
Imami Yeganeh noted that Ardabil shares a 370-kilometre border with Azerbaijan and said simplifying trade and economic relations remains a priority. He said unrestricted access for local business people to land border crossings could drive up mutual trade turnover.
According to the governor, Ardabil exported goods worth $100 million in the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year, which runs from 21 March to 22 September 2026. In the previous Iranian year, from 21 March 2025 to 20 March 2026, exports exceeded $278 million. Most of the exported goods are agricultural and greenhouse products, shipped mainly through the Bilasuvar customs checkpoint to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Eurasian Economic Union member states.
Bilasuvar crossing and future projects
The governor said an average of 500 trucks cross the Bilasuvar border checkpoint daily, and simplifying bureaucratic procedures there could further boost trade volumes. He also said Ardabil is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan on irrigation systems.
Imami Yeganeh said the two sides have already agreed to set up a rail freight hub in Ardabil, a step he said would strengthen railway links between the two countries. He added that a document regulating cooperation on emergency situations between Iranian provinces bordering Azerbaijan is also being prepared.
Read also: Tehran Times: Ardabil governor seeks wider border cooperation with Azerbaijan
