Iraq to Implement TIR

Iraq will implement the global transit system TIR from 1 April 2025, marking a significant step in enhancing logistics and international trade. According to state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA), the Border Ports Commission announced that the system will streamline cross-border transport, strengthening Iraq's position as a key trade hub in the Middle East.

The TIR system is expected to play a crucial role in the Development Road project, linking southern and northern Iraq while providing an efficient trade corridor connecting Asia, the GCC, Turkey, and Europe.

Logistics firms are prepared to launch TIR operations from locations such as Mersin, Turkey, to GCC countries via Umm Qasr Port. Initial trials indicate that the journey could be completed in under a week-compared to 14 days via the Red Sea or 26 days if ships reroute around Africa.

Transport Minister Razzaq Muhibis Al-Saadawi highlighted that TIR implementation, supported by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and facilitated by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), will reduce transport times by 80% and costs by 38%, offering substantial economic benefits and job creation. Over the past two years, Iraq has developed its transport infrastructure to maximise TIR's impact on trade and the national economy.

IRU Secretary-General Umberto de Pretto welcomed the initiative, stating that TIR has facilitated secure trade for nearly eight decades. He anticipates that Iraq's integration into the system will enhance regional economic connectivity and streamline freight movement. The system's electronic pre-declaration (TIR-EPD) will integrate with Iraq's Uruk platform, enabling cargo monitoring via GPS and enhancing security through regular checkpoints.

TIR, governed by a United Nations convention and managed by IRU, is designed to ensure smooth, cost-effective, and secure international trade. In 2023, Iraq became the 78th country to accede to the United Nations TIR Convention.