Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijan has expressed interest in opening the Aslan Duz-Horadiz border checkpoint on Azerbaijani-Iranian border.

Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee (SCC) of Azerbaijan Shahin Bagirov made the remark at the opening ceremony of the new terminal in Bilasuvar, Iribnews reported.

Bagirov said Azerbaijan has already created the necessary infrastructure and facilities at the Aslan Duz-Horadiz border check point for comfortable movement of Azerbaijani and Iranian citizens.

"We expect to accelerate the works conducted by the Customs Administration of Iran in order to open Aslan Duz-Horadiz checkpoint," Bagirov said.

Bagirov noted that Azerbaijan is interested in developing relations with Iran, adding that nobody can break the brotherhood and friendship between Azerbaijan and Iran.

Earlier, Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsin Pakayin spoke about the opening of the border checkpoint on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border in Aslan Duz (Parsabad) - Horadiz (Fizuli) region in the near future.

There are six border checkpoints on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border including Julfa, Shakhtakhti, Astara, Bilasuvar and Imishli. Horadiz border checkpoint hasn't been operating for a long time.

Recently, a new passenger terminal has been established on the Bilasuvar border checkpoint (Iran).

Since February 2010, Iran unilaterally abolished the visa regime for citizens of Azerbaijan, with the exception of journalists.

Azerbaijan and Iran also agreed within an intergovernmental commission to simplify the visa regime and the introduction of disposable (30-day) visa for entering of the Iranian citizens into the territory of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The visa fee is ten euros.

Nakhchivan is one of Azerbaijan's regions which has been under blockade over the last 20 years due to the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

The two countries had decided earlier to adopt new measures to simplify visa regime for the citizens of the two states.

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.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran stood at $144.045 million in January-September 2014, according to the State Customs Committee (SCC) of Azerbaijan.

In the first nine months of 2014, goods worth $115.6 million were imported to Azerbaijan. Exported goods amounted $28.45 million.