Azerbaijan to simplify visa regime for Iranian businessmen
By Sara Rajabova
Azerbaijan plans to simplify the visa regime for Iranian businessmen and tourists.
"The simplification of the entry to and exit from Azerbaijan for Iranian businessmen and tourists was one of the main decisions taken at the ninth meeting of the State Commission for cooperation in the economic, commercial and humanitarian spheres between Azerbaijan and Iran which was held in Baku," Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pak Ayeen told Trend news agency.
Pak Ayeen said Iranian entrepreneurs and businessmen will be issued multiple entry visas to Azerbaijan after presenting a letter of introduction from the Iranian Chamber of Commerce and the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
He also added that, this issue would have a positive impact on the development of trade relations between the two countries.
Pak Ayeen further noted that some privileges would be given to the Iranian tourists: Iranian tourists will be able to get visas in the territory of the Nakhchivan International Airport, the Sadarak, Shakhtakhti and Julfa border checkpoints for a trip to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The visa fee is ten euros.
The governments of Azerbaijan and Iran have agreed to introduce a single entry visa (30-day) for Iranian citizens into the territory of NAR.
Currently, the cost of an entry visa for Iranian citizens into the territory of Azerbaijan is 35 euros.
Since February 2010, Iran unilaterally abolished the visa regime for citizens of Azerbaijan, with the exception of journalists.
The governments of the two countries have preparing measures to simplify visa regime for the citizens of the two states.
Pak Ayeen earlier said in his interview with Iranian IRINN TV channel, a new terminal will be commissioned on the Azerbaijani-Iranian border checkpoint in Bilasuvar in the coming days.
He said this will simplify the process of entry of passengers, cars and trucks and will solve the problem of long queues.
"At the moment, final works are being carried out at the terminal. I assume that the terminal will begin to operate in the next 20 days, after which this border checkpoint will move into 24-hour operation," Pak Ayeen said.
He stressed that the ninth meeting of the Azerbaijani-Iranian intergovernmental commission on trade-economic and humanitarian cooperation has already borne fruit. He noted that there are great prospects for future cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan.
He added that Iranian Customs Administration Head Masoud Karbasian will visit Baku in the near future.
Along with Bilasuvar border checkpoint, there are also Shakhtakhti-Poldesht, Astara and Julfa border checkpoints on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border. Azerbaijan and Iran have reached an agreement on the opening of the Aslanduz-Horadiz border checkpoint.
Azerbaijan and Iran have had diplomatic relations since 1918. Iran recognized Azerbaijan's independence in 1991, and diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992.
Data from the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan shows that trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $281.03 million in 2013, which is 6.13 percent higher than 2012. The figure stood at $263.785 million in 2012.