Crisis at Gürbulak Border: 28-Day Truck Wait is Unacceptable

Critical Situation in the Trade Lifeline Between Iran and Turkey Ergün Bilen, Vice President of the International Transporters Association (UND), warned of the dire situation at the Gürbulak border terminal in a sharp statement. According to reports published in July 2026, the waiting time for trucks intending to cross this border into Iran has reached an unprecedented 28 days [1]. The official emphasized that such a delay is completely unacceptable in the modern trade world, destroying the competitiveness of exporters and paralyzing the logistics fleet. ## Kilometers of Queues and 3700 Stranded Trucks Field reports indicate that approximately 3700 trucks are currently stranded at the Gürbulak-Bazargan border [3]. This situation, coinciding with extreme summer heat, has made the living and working conditions for drivers extremely difficult. Ehsan Malekzadeh, Chairman of the Board of the International Transport Companies Association of Iran, also confirmed that long-term stagnation has grounded a large part of the international fleet and increased the risk of goods being abandoned in customs warehouses [4]. ## UND's 12 Demands to Resolve the Logistics Deadlock In a recent meeting with the Iranian delegation, Ergün Bilen presented a list of 12 practical solutions to exit this crisis. He stressed that the time for repetitive negotiations has ended and immediate action is needed on the operational front [2]. Key UND demands include: - Increasing daily processing capacity to 400-500 trucks at the Gürbulak border. - Removing the mandatory Triptik booklet to facilitate traffic. - Canceling additional costs such as fuel price differences in transit and X-ray fees at the Bazargan terminal [1]. - Stopping the interference of unauthorized individuals and parallel institutions in border operations. ## Impact of Regional Developments on Post-War Trade This crisis occurs as the region enters a post-tension period following early 2026, with trade volume between Iran and Turkey expected to increase significantly. However, the current customs infrastructure at the Bazargan border, which only has a capacity of about 250 trucks per day, cannot meet this demand [4]. Bilen noted that if capacities are not quickly upgraded, this strategic border, considered the "Gateway from Europe to Asia," will lose its position in international corridors. He concluded by emphasizing readiness for dialogue but reminded that the current priority is the implementation of tangible measures [2].