Iran to permit passage of vehicles via Iranian-Azerbaijani closed checkpoints
By Sara Rajabova
Iran intends to lift the restrictions on passage of vehicles via the Iranian-Azerbaijani closed checkpoints.
Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsun Pakayin told Trend news agency on November 15 that Iran will completely lift the restrictions on the movement of vehicles and passengers at checkpoints in Bilasuvar and Julfa on the border with Azerbaijan from tomorrow.
According to reports, there is a queue of vehicles wishing to travel from Iran to Azerbaijan and in the opposite direction because the border was closed for a few days. Despite the number of these vehicles being reduced, the passage is limited.
Pakayin said earlier that the situation on the Iranian- Azerbaijani border will be normal soon.
He said that the main reason for imposing restrictions on the border-crossing point in Julfa and Bilasuvar was the closing of the Shahtakhti-Poldesht border-crossing point by Azerbaijani border guards.
Previously Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic's representative office in Baku said a tractor which was carrying out shore protection work at the Araz River in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan was fired at on November 5 from Iran by two persons dressed in military uniforms.
Border guards arrived at the scene after hearing the shots.
During the preliminary investigation, it was found that two 7.62 mm caliber bullets hit the radiator, and a bullet struck the side of the tractor's cab.
The tractor's location and direction of the shots prove that the fire came from Iran.
According to the Iranian Embassy, Azerbaijan closed the Poldesht checkpoint on November 6 because of the shooting of a tractor, at a place near to it.
Iran has closed border-crossing points on the border with Azerbaijan in Julfa (the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic) and Bilasuvar.
There are seven border crossings on the Azerbaijani-Iranian border.