The Ministry of Transport announced today, Sunday, the opening of 7 new international transit routes within eight months, confirming that Iraq has begun practical steps to enhance its position as a regional hub for transportation and trade between the Gulf, Turkey, Europe, and Central Asia.
The Director of the Land Transport Management Department at the ministry, Israa Hanoon, stated in a statement followed by the news agency that the ministry is working to solidify Iraq's position as a transit and transportation corridor by developing land and rail transport networks and ports, connecting them within a multi-modal transport system.
She added that the ministry continues to expand the work of the International Road Transport (TIR) system, alongside opening new routes, simplifying customs and border procedures, and enhancing digital transformation, all contributing to reducing truck transit time and increasing Iraq's competitiveness as a trade corridor.
Hanoon explained that the TIR system, which came into effect in Iraq on April 1, 2025, has contributed to increasing transit movements, noting that 2026 witnessed a significant expansion in international routes with the opening of seven new routes over eight months.
She indicated that the objective is not just to increase the number of crossing trucks, but to achieve sustainable transit movement, in conjunction with developing border crossings, roads, and logistics services, enabling Iraq to attract a larger share of trade between Asia, the Gulf, Turkey, and Europe.
She noted that Iraqi transit routes are witnessing growth in traffic to and from Turkey, the Gulf states, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, in addition to being gradually linked to routes extending towards Central Asia and Europe.
She pointed out that Turkey represents an important gateway to European markets, while Iraq serves as a link between Turkey and the Gulf countries and Central Asia, indicating the operation of new routes towards Saudi Arabia and Turkmenistan, which reflects, according to the ministry, the expansion of the Iraqi transit network.
Hanoon emphasized that Iraq possesses the components and infrastructure that qualify it to play a regional role in transport and logistics services, but increasing transit movements requires continued development of roads, border crossings, ports, and railways, along with the establishment of inspection and waiting yards, logistics centers, rest facilities, and truck scales, as well as accelerating customs and border procedures and electronic connectivity.
She concluded by saying that Iraq has "effectively begun" steps to transform into a regional trade corridor through the operation of the TIR system, expanding transit routes, and developing infrastructure, indicating that the next challenge will be to move from merely increasing the number of trucks to building an integrated logistics system that makes Iraq a competitive and sustainable option for regional and international trade.