Turkey - Iraq & Iraq - Iran border crossing
 

Hi,
in the previous month we crossed both the Turkey-Iraq and Iraq-Iran border with our vehicle. Both crossing were not easy, for the following reasons:

Turkey-Iraq (Ibrahim Khalil crossing at Silopi):
It is normally not allowed to take a vehicle out of Iraq at a different border crossing, then where the vehicle entered Iraq (so, if you enter Iraq from Turkey, you have to take the vehicle out at the same border). They keep your vehicle papers at the border, or you have to pay a 1500 $ deposit. Eventually we got our vehicle in and got special permission to take it out to Iran. We did not pay anything for the special treatment.

Iraq-Iran (Penjwin crossing):
Border officials told us that there is no contract between Iraq and Iran for the temporary import of vehicles into Iran, and for that reason you can not enter Iran fro Iraq with a foreign licence plate vehicle, even with a carnet de passage. However, after some waiting, talking, 'begging' and drinking tea, we got our vehicle in and stamped the carnet de passage.

More info on our website:
Turkish - Iraqi border: Ibrahim Khalil
Stress at the border with Iraq and Iran

Kind regards,
Edwin & Ivonne

Thanks a lot Babakoto for this report!
Do you think I'm going to encounter the same problem if I try to do the reverse route: From Iran to Irak then to Turkey with my own vehicle?

RR.

Hi RR,

the border officials at the Iran side of Iraq-Iran border told us that the problem is that there is no contract between Iraq and Iran about the crossing of car with foreign license plates. So officially, you are not allowed to cross the border here with a foreign car, even if you have a carnet de passage (so the problem is at Iranian side).

But i can imagine that if you leave Iran, they probably do not bother a lot. You can try to contact the Iranian Automobile Club, to see if they have an answer:

Touring & Automobile Club Of the Islamic Republic Of IRAN

Kind regards,
Edwin

Thanks Babakoto for your reply,
And I'm going to try to contact them even if the best plan is an experience of travellers having done the same route.
RR.

Hey roro
I'd love to hear how you get on. Can you please post your experience here or email me? fishernz@gmail.com. I'll be going the dame way you are in 6 or so months. Just leaving australia for east timor now. Where abouts are you?
Cheers
Mark

Hey roro
I'd love to hear how you get on. Can you please post your experience here or email me? fishernz@gmail.com. I'll be going the dame way you are in 6 or so months. Just leaving australia for east timor now. Where abouts are you?
Cheers
Mark

I've tried, but didn't found any email adress (may be an error on the linked page..)
RR.

Thanks, that's really helpful. I will be trying to get to Iraq in a months or so. :)

Hi,

the person we contacted at the Iranian automobile club was:

Mehdi Alamdar
alamdar.m@tac.org.ir

Regards,
Edwin & Ivonne
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