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according to latest data released by Iran Airports Company,” he said. Revenues of Iranian airlines have dropped by a staggering 80% in recent weeks, with only a few flights going to international destinations including the UK, Turkey and Qatar.
According to Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA), on April 5, only two flights were recorded on its rota, including a return service from London with IranAir.
9.1.4​Transport sector news
KTAI road corridor launched connecting Iran to Kyrgyzstan
Indian ambassador says US can’t dictate to New Delhi on development of Iran’s Chabahar port
Iran has launched the first export of goods via roads to Central Asia through the "Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran corridor (KTAI)", Mehr News Agency on July 26 reported.
The corridor has been launched by Islamic Republic of Iran Customs (IRICA) in collaboration with the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) under the framework of the TIR Convention (Convention on International Transport of Goods Under Cover of TIR Carnets).
According to the Iranian side, the first shipment came from the southern Iranian port of Bandar Rajaee, with two shipments heading to Kyrgyzstan. The new route will allegedly make it simpler for goods to travel from Iran northwards into Central Asia, while also reducing the time and cost of shipment through the connecting countries.
The route uses the western Afghanistan province of Herat as a route, as Turkmenistan is not a signatory to this deal.
IRICA Director of Transit Mostafa Ayati said: “Iran is the most economical route for the transit of goods to Central Asian countries (CIS) due to shorter access to open waters, and the development of new routes, including the ‘KATI’ corridor, will lead to trade development and ultimately economic growth in the region.”
Earlier in July, Iran and the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) announced they would create three new working groups as Iran continues to integrate into the economic bloc.
Following the holding of an​ ​Iran-EEU joint working group session​ ​via video conferencing, the two sides reportedly agreed on working groups that will focus on customs, standards and health and safety.
The Indian ambassador to Tehran has said that the US cannot dictate to New Delhi when it comes to India’s activities founded on the long-term leasehold it holds on part of Iran’s sole oceanic port, Chabahar, the Hindustan Times​reported on July 26.
India and Iran signed for the joint development of the Gulf of Oman port more than 20 years ago. The port serves as a trade flow entry point to the Islamic Republic, Afghanistan and Central Asian countries including Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
The ambassador, Gaddam Dharmendra, reportedly stated that the US “cannot tell us what to do” in terms of the port’s development and usage. “The fact [is] that we are working in Chabahar, we are buying equipment for Chabahar, we are preparing for Chabahar, we have told the Americans they cannot tell us what to do on Chabahar,” he said.
Chabahar does in fact enjoy an exemption from US sanctions as the Americans recognise its value to the development of war-torn Afghanistan. But the overall crushing US sanctions regime aimed at Iran has nevertheless substantially choked efforts to develop the port, frustrating all actors looking to
47​ IRAN Country Report August 2020 www.intellinews.com