Türkiye and Iran to Establish New Border Crossing

Technical delegations from Türkiye and Iran have started discussions on opening a fourth border crossing, Koozeh Rash-Gelincik, between the two countries.

The delegations conducted site inspections and field assessments in Van province in eastern Türkiye, with Iran’s Ambassador to Ankara, Mohammad Hasan Habibullahzade, and Turkish ruling Justice and Development Party lawmaker Kayhan Türkmenoğlu also in attendance, The Caspian Post reports citing Turkish media.

The ambassador stated that a meeting was held with the participation of the relevant authorities from both countries regarding the Koozeh Rash-Gelincik border crossing.

He noted that the meeting involved mutual consultations on the location of the crossing and the status of customs facilities.

The new border crossing will serve between Salmas district in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province and Başkale district in Türkiye’s Van province.

This will become the fourth crossing after Ağrı’s Gürbulak, Van’s Kapıköy and Hakkari’s Esendere.

Türkiye has long been a popular destination for Iranian tourists. In 2024, the number of Iranian visitors to Türkiye rose by 30.9 percent compared to the previous year, surpassing 3.2 million.