Logistics services in Iran.

Iran logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Logistics services in Iran rely on sea, air, rail, and land connections across several borders. Containerized cargo moves through seaports such as Bandar Abbas, Abadan, Bushehr, and Khorramshahr, with cargo pier depths up to about 23 meters at some smaller ports. Oil terminals add further options for liquid bulk shipments.

Air freight uses a network of about 177 airports, with scheduled international services at hubs including Imam Khomeini International Airport near Tehran and regional airports such as Bandar Abbas and Abadan. Around 8,500 km of rail and multiple border crossings with countries like Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and others support cross-border rail and road moves linked to sea gateways. Shippers can arrange exports worth about 113 billion USD and imports of about 66 billion USD using these multimodal options.

Logistics services in Iran

When selecting freight forwarders in Iran, shippers should match the forwarder’s strengths to the country’s actual flows. Iran trades mainly with China, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Armenia, the UAE, Brazil, and Germany, so experience on these routes is useful. Ports such as Bandar Abbas, Abadan, Bushehr, and Khorramshahr are central for sea moves and should be familiar to any local agent.

Iran’s overall logistics performance index score is 2.3 versus a world median of 2.7, with customs at 2.2 and logistics quality at 2.1. Forwarders that can manage these weaker points, especially customs and on-the-ground coordination, are valuable. Check their track record with export goods like plastics, iron ore, natural gas, and refined copper, and imports such as broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts, corn, and soybeans. Membership in the World Customs Organization since 1959 indicates alignment with WCO procedures.

Freight forwarders in Iran

Iran handled about 2.9 million TEU in 2024 and ranks 45th of 168 globally for container volume, with a liner shipping connectivity index of 31.08 in 2021. Main seaports include Bandar Abbas, Abadan, Bushehr, and Khorramshahr, supported by 18 ports in total and about 2,440 km of coastline. Several are medium-sized, with cargo pier depths around 8 to 17 meters and one smaller port reaching about 23 meters.

This seaport system underpins both FCL and LCL shipping from and to Iran along major trade routes to partners such as China, Turkey, the UAE, India, Pakistan, and Armenia. The merchant marine counts about 965 vessels, including 28 container ships and 86 oil tankers, giving options for containerized and bulk cargo. Shippers can use sea freight for exports like plastics, iron ore, natural gas, refined copper, and imports such as broadcasting equipment and vehicle parts.

FCL and LCL shipping from and to Iran

Air freight in Iran uses about 42 airports with scheduled service, anchored by major international airports such as Imam Khomeini International Airport and Bandar Abbas International Airport. Total air cargo reached about 137 million tonne-km in 2023, placing Iran 58th of 184 countries worldwide and 10th of 22 in its region.

Air freight in Iran is suitable for higher-value or time-sensitive shipments within its main trade mix, such as broadcasting equipment, vehicle parts, and other manufactured goods. Scheduled international airports at Abadan, Kerman, Birjand, and others provide regional coverage. Air can complement sea moves through ports like Bandar Abbas when shippers need faster transit for part of the supply chain.

Air freight in Iran

Rail and road freight in Iran draw on a network of about 8,500 km of railway and multiple land borders. Rail freight moved about 33 billion tonne-km in 2021, ranking 15th of 113 countries worldwide and 1st of 13 in its regional group. This supports heavy bulk moves that can link inland production areas to ports and neighboring states.

Borders total several thousand kilometers, including Afghanistan 921 km, Armenia 44 km, Azerbaijan 689 km, Iraq 1,599 km, Pakistan 959 km, Turkey 534 km, and Turkmenistan 1,148 km. These crossings enable road and rail freight between Iran and its main trading partners such as Turkey, Pakistan, and regional transit routes. Shippers can combine land freight with seaports and airports to build multimodal routings.

Rail and road freight in Iran

Iran is a member of the World Customs Organization, with membership dating from 1959. The country is not part of the World Trade Organization. The average applied tariff was about 12 percent in 2020, affecting both imports and exports of goods such as plastics, natural gas, broadcasting equipment, and vehicle parts.

Iran’s customs score in the logistics performance index is 2.2, compared with a world median of 2.6, so process efficiency can be a concern. Import and export lead times were reported at 5 days for imports and 3 days for exports in 2018. For customs clearance in Iran, shippers should prepare a commercial invoice, packing list, and appropriate transport document, and coordinate closely with local brokers to manage procedures.

Customs clearance in Iran