Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, is set to increase its cargo capacity to Iran, when the carrier begins its five daily non-stop flights to Mashhad from the beginning of this month.

Mashhad will become Emirates’ second Iranian destination after the capital city Tehran, which Emirates has been serving since March 1990, said a statement.

Khalid Mohammed Al Hinai, vice president – cargo commercial for the Middle East, GCC and Iran, said: “Iran is an important market for Emirates SkyCargo, and with our Dubai hub strategically located between East and West, we are able to offer Iranian manufacturers access to our global network coupled with a range of innovative products and services, such as our cool chain offering for time and temperature sensitive commodities.”

With the new service to Mashhad, Emirates SkyCargo will provide more than 150 tonnes of belly-hold capacity between Iran and the UAE each week; further supporting Iran exports of fruits, vegetables, carpets, saffron, nuts, and personal effects, and its imports of meat, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, machinery and automobiles parts, said the statement.

The top markets to which Emirates SkyCargo carries Iran’s exports include Dubai, Kuwait, Riyadh, Bahrain, Osaka, Tokyo, Melbourne, Sydney, and Los Angeles, while main import markets include the UAE, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, Mumbai, Frankfurt and Basel.