Istanbul, March 31 (QNA) - The Turkish Ministry of Trade has secured 15-day visas for all drivers engaged in international cross-border trucking inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to meet the needs in the Gulf region, Minister Omer Bolat said Tuesday.

Delivering remarks during an event in Istanbul on the heels of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Bolat explained that this decision had been taken following extensive engagements with the Saudi side.

Access to all Gulf nations would be possible within three to four days, he noted, adding that Turkiye has witnessed an increase in applications from the Arab Gulf region and world countries, with new requests emerging from Turkish exporters.

Bolat recalled that under the transit transport agreement signed with Syria in August, Turkish trucks would arrive in Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and all Gulf nations.

This matter will definitely expedite the volume of mutual trade among countries of the region, Bolat underscored.

He clarified that Turkiye's exports to the Gulf countries declined in March 2026 by 36.5% compared to the same month in 2025, citing this to the tensions in the region. (QNA)