Cargo that will not clear in Iran is rarely a rail problem. It is three things that were never aligned before loading: whose name the import permit sits in, whether a VÖEN number exists, and whether the invoice, packing list and certificate of origin agree. All three are checkable in China; fixing them after arrival is counted in weeks.
When a container sits at Aprin dry port and will not clear, it is almost never a rail problem. It is three things that were not aligned before loading: whose name the import permit sits in, whether a VÖEN number exists, and whether the invoice, packing list and certificate of origin agree. All three are checkable in China, before the box is sealed. Checking then costs nothing; fixing later costs weeks.
| Check before loading | What "correct" looks like | If it is wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Import permit | Held by the consignee, valid for this commodity, quota not exhausted | Cannot be declared; the cargo is re-exported or sold to a licensed importer |
| VÖEN tax number | Valid, and belonging to the same entity as the permit | The entry cannot be created in the system; the broker cannot submit |
| Commodity and HS code | Invoice description, packing list and permit category all point to one code | Inspection hold; amending a declaration is an approval process, not a correction |
| Value and documents | Invoice, certificate of origin and insurance certificate agree, and the value survives valuation | Re-valued, and duty is then calculated on their number, not yours |
We run these four checks as part of booking. If one fails we say so then, not after the container reaches Tehran.
VÖEN is Iran's tax registration number — Iranian traders usually call it the "economic code". To import, the consignee must be a registered importer holding a valid VÖEN, because the clearance system attaches the entry to that number for duty assessment.
The two problems that come up most:
Neither is within our control, and both are one question away from being known. Asking early is worth more than any amount of chasing after arrival.
The two get used interchangeably in conversation and they are not the same thing at all.
| Item | DAP (delivered at place) | DDP (delivered duty paid) |
|---|---|---|
| International carriage | Ours | Ours |
| Iran import clearance | Consignee | Ours |
| Duty and VAT | Consignee pays | Included in our rate |
| What the consignee needs | A permit and a VÖEN | Entity details to support the declaration |
| Fits | Iranian importers with their own licence | Buyers without a licence, or who do not want to run clearance |
DDP looks more expensive because duty is inside the number. What the buyer gets for it is not having to fund a second payment and find a broker at the far end. Whether that is worth it depends entirely on whether they hold an import permit — which is a question worth asking before quoting, not after.
| Stage | What happens | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gate-in | Container discharged into the Aprin yard, arrival record created | Terminal |
| 2. Data entry | Waybill, invoice, packing list, certificate of origin keyed into the system | Iranian broker |
| 3. Declaration | Filed by HS code; system checks valuation and permit quota | Broker and Customs |
| 4. Inspection | If selected: physical check of description, quantity, marks | Customs |
| 5. Assessment | Duty and VAT assessed and paid | Consignee, or us under DDP |
| 6. Release | Container released for pickup or onward transit | Consignee or us |
With a complete document set, stages 2 to 6 usually run in 3–7 working days. An inspection adds 3–5. The time is spent waiting on assessment, not on handling.
Being precise about the boundary saves everyone time later:
If your Iranian buyer has no import licence, there are two routes: wait for them to register, or take DDP and let us use a licensed importer of record. The second changes who holds title during clearance, so it needs the buyer's explicit agreement.
Three to seven working days with a complete document set. An inspection adds three to five more. If a declaration has to be amended, the clock stops — amendment is an approval process, not an edit.
No. The entry cannot be created in the system without it. The number must belong to a registered Iranian importer, and to the same entity named on the import permit.
The registered Iranian importer, always — permits are issued by commodity against an annual quota and cannot be taken out in a foreign forwarder's name. We can tell you which category applies and what documents the application needs.
No. We carry clearance and duty, but the consignee still supplies entity details and signs the declaration documents. Title transfer and liability also need to be set out in the contract, not assumed.
Not advisable. Iranian Customs holds reference values; a clearly low declaration is reassessed upward and duty is then charged on their figure, with extra review time on top. Declaring the transaction value is the cheaper route.
Crates and pallets need IPPC fumigation marks. Unmarked wood is treated, refused or re-exported at the border, and the treatment charge usually exceeds the cost of doing the packing properly the first time.
Same process, different unit. An LCL container carries several shippers' cargo, deconsolidated and declared per bill. Each consignee therefore still needs a permit and a VÖEN.
Two parts: duty and VAT assessed by HS code and declared value; and service costs — broker fee, inspection, storage, trucking. DDP includes both. DAP includes carriage and arrival only.
Yes. After release the container can transit to other Iranian cities or be trucked directly. Cost and transit scale with distance and are quoted per destination.
First establish why: document mismatch, valuation dispute, a licensed commodity, or something found at inspection. The remedies are entirely different. Our job is to get the specific reason from the local broker, then decide between amendment, additional certificates, or a formal review request.
Origin and email are enough - the rest can follow later. We reply in writing so you keep everything on record.