08.05.2026 18:09
Kambiz Etemadi, head of the Container Committee of the Iranian Maritime Transport Union, said that in Iran, where over 90 percent of international trade is conducted by sea, there is a capacity to divert 40 percent of this activity to land and corridor routes in order to break the US blockade.
According to Fars News Agency, Itimadi evaluated the measures that could be taken against the maritime embargo imposed by the US.
"15 PERCENT COULD BE DIRECTED TO THE NORTH-SOUTH CORRIDOR"
Referring to the US blockade aimed at cutting off Iran's connection to the sea, Itimadi stated that his country has been struggling with economic sanctions for years and has gained experience in bypassing sanctions.
Pointing out that land and corridor routes should be used more actively as an alternative to maritime transport, Itimadi said, "40 percent of Iran's trade can be transferred to land and corridor routes. For example, up to 15 percent of the country's total transit volume can be directed to the North-South Corridor."
NEARLY ALL OF IRAN'S TRADE IS CONDUCTED BY SEA
Iran's Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Ali Akbar Sefayi, stated in 2023 that over 90 percent of his country's foreign trade is carried out through maritime transport.
The International North-South Transport Corridor was established with an agreement signed between Russia, Iran, and India on September 12, 2000. In the following years, 10 more countries, including Azerbaijan and Turkey, joined this project.
The North-South Transport Corridor aims to reduce transit times for cargo traveling from India to Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe.