Azerbaijan and Iran need a new bridge over the river Araz as the existing one is not safe for vehicles weighing over 30 tons, the Iranian ambassador in Baku said.

A joint commission of Iranian and Azeri border services will meet next month to discuss the issue, Mohsen Pakayen told reporters today in the Azeri capital.Both Iranian and Azeri specialists have confirmed that the old bridge connecting Azerbaijan’s Naxcivan region with Iran is no longer safe and needs to be replaced, he said.Iran banned entry to Azeri trucks weighing over 30 tons earlier this month, causing serious problems in cargo shipments between Naxcivan and the rest of the country.The Naxcivan region has no land border with Azerbaijan proper and relies on shipments through Iran.ANN.Az