Hundreds of trucks are backed up at Turkey’s Gürbulak border crossing with Iran as Tehran increasingly shifts trade from sea routes to land routes amid the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The border has become a crucial trade corridor for Iran as disruptions to maritime shipping make it harder to move essential goods and other cargo. Iranian officials say the number of trucks waiting at the crossing has risen from around 200 to about 1,200.
The surge has overwhelmed existing capacity, with truck drivers reporting sharply longer waiting times. Data from Turkey’s International Transporters Association shows waiting times at Gürbulak have increased more than fourfold since the war began.
Iran previously relied heavily on maritime trade through the Gulf, but the blockade and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz have forced Tehran to seek alternative routes.
Turkey has become a key gateway for Iranian trade with Europe, while Iran is also looking east toward Pakistan to keep goods moving. Officials in Iran and Pakistan have discussed keeping border crossings open around the clock to increase transport capacity.
However, the shift from sea to land is creating new logistical problems, including congestion, customs delays and limited infrastructure.
For truck drivers, the growing queues mean longer journeys, higher costs and fewer trips. For Iran, the challenge is keeping essential imports and exports moving while maritime trade remains severely disrupted.
