ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran are planning official exchanges to strengthen trade linkages and deepen economic cooperation along their shared border, an official statement said after a meeting between Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri-Moghaddam on Saturday.
The two neighbors have set up border markets and discussed barter trade in recent years to get around banking and currency restrictions.
Sanctions and foreign exchange shortages remain key hurdles for Iran, making barter systems and cross-border markets central to its trade strategy with Pakistan.
The meeting between the envoy and Pakistan’s commerce minister comes at a time when both countries held the Pakistan-Iran Joint Economic Commission in September to discuss concrete strategies to enhance bilateral trade.
“The commerce minister proposed arranging high-level visits, including those of the Chief Minister of Baluchistan and the Governor of Zahedan, to facilitate cross-border trade and improve the livelihoods of people living in the border regions,” the statement said. “He also suggested inviting Pakistani ministers from the maritime, railways, and communications sectors to Iran to explore avenues of mutual cooperation in their respective fields.”
The two reaffirmed their goal of achieving $10 billion in annual bilateral trade by 2028, citing recent measures such as the reopening of the Mand-Pishin border market and the resumption of Quetta-Zahedan flights as signs of improving cooperation.
The minister extended an invitation to Iranian companies and state-owned organizations to participate in the upcoming FoodAg exhibition, scheduled to be held from November 25 to 27 in Karachi.
He pointed out such platforms can provide opportunities for Iranian and Pakistani businesses to explore trade, investment and joint ventures in the agri-food sector.
Ambassador Amiri-Moghaddam highlighted recent progress in bilateral trade, noting that Iran had completed imports of 400,000 tons of rice from Pakistan and was ready to purchase animal feed and maize under existing agreements.
