TEHRAN- During a visit to Pakistan, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament (Majlis), and Mohammad-Ali Dehghan Dehnavi, the Iranian deputy minister of industry, mining and trade and the head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), met with some traders and businessmen and emphasized issues such as the development of commercial cooperation and accelerating the free trade process between the two countries.

Iran-Pakistan business forum was held in Karachi, with the presence of Qalibaf and Dehghan Dehnavi, along with the extensive participation of Pakistani traders and businessmen.

At this meeting, topics such as the development of commercial cooperation and accelerating free trade with Pakistan were emphasized.

Also, during this trip, Dehghan Dehnavi met and held talks with Faiz Ahmed, the Chairman of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

Topics discussed in this meeting included free trade, removing obstacles and problems in bilateral trade relations, reviewing borders and border markets, and facilitating the customs processes of the two countries.

On November 1, Iran's ambassador in Islamabad and Pakistan's Commerce Minister met and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Reza Amiri Moghaddam, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Islamabad, met and held talks with Jam Kamal Khan, Pakistan's Commerce Minister.

As reported by Express Tribune, the meeting discussed and deliberated on current initiatives, trade agreements, and upcoming opportunities aimed at enhancing economic relations between the two neighboring countries.

Jam Kamal invited Iranian companies and government organizations to participate in the FoodAg exhibition scheduled to be held from November 25 to 27, 2025, at the Karachi Expo Centre.

The Pakistani Commerce Minister, in his remarks, also emphasized that such platforms provide valuable opportunities for Iranian and Pakistani businesses to explore trade, projects, and joint investments in the agriculture and food sectors.

He further suggested arranging high-level visits, including visits by the Chief Minister of Pakistan's Baluchistan province and the Governor of Zahedan, to facilitate cross-border trade and improve the livelihoods of people living in border areas. He also proposed that Pakistani ministers from the maritime, railways, and communications sectors be invited to Iran to explore areas of mutual cooperation.

The Iranian ambassador, during the meeting, recalled previous agreements between the two countries regarding the import of rice, meat, corn, and animal feed, highlighted the progress in bilateral trade, and noted that Iran has successfully completed rice imports and is ready to purchase animal feed and corn.

He also stated that flights between Quetta and Zahedan have resumed, enhancing connectivity for people and businesses between the two sides.

Jam Kamal emphasized that over the past year, positive interactions between Pakistan and Iran have been fruitful in building stronger economic and trade relations.

He informed the Iranian ambassador during the meeting that the text of the Pakistan-Iran Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signed in Islamabad, is undergoing internal review and there are plans for its formal presentation and approval in the near future.

Both sides emphasized the shared vision of their leadership to achieve annual bilateral trade worth $10 billion by 2028 and expressed satisfaction with the successful holding of the 22nd session of the Pakistan-Iran Joint Economic Commission in Tehran on September 15-16, 2025.

During a press conference at the Pakistani embassy in Tehran, on October 27, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, said the two countries are poised for even deeper ties as a recently signed barter agreement begins implementation and expands to include various sectors.

Ambassador Tipu's Q&A session followed an event commemorating 'Kashmir Black Day,' an annual observance by Kashmiris and Pakistanis worldwide. This day, October 27, 1950, marks when Indian troops landed in Srinagar to gain control of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, reportedly killing scores of people. India rejects the 'Black Day' term.

Answering a question from the Tehran Times, the envoy stated that Iran and Pakistan have yet to finalize the specific products that will be exchanged under the new barter agreement, which he noted was signed at Tehran's request. "This deal is very important and significant," he said. "Both countries will particularly benefit if the private sector is involved."

Iran and Pakistan have enjoyed close and cordial ties since Pakistan's independence in 1947. In recent years, economic cooperation has become a central focus in discussions between the two countries' dignitaries, with both sides recognizing immense untapped potential between the neighboring nations. Significant steps taken recently include the inauguration of border markets and ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement, which Ambassador Tipu stated could be signed soon.

On October 20, the ambassador announced that Pakistan’s government has issued a new executive order aimed at promoting barter trade with Iran after months of consultation and review to address the concerns of both countries’ business communities.

In a post on X, Ambassador Tipu said: “I am pleased to announce that Pakistan has issued a new executive order (SRO) to promote barter trade with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

He explained that following an extensive and inclusive review process, many of the issues raised by Iranian and Pakistani traders have been addressed in the new regulation. The envoy expressed hope that the measure would significantly enhance the volume and diversity of trade between the two neighbors.

“I invite industrialists and the business communities of both countries to fully benefit from this order and contribute to the expansion of bilateral trade,” he added, urging chambers of commerce and trade bodies in both nations to circulate the regulation among their members to help maximize its benefits.

In early October, Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance approved a proposal by the Ministry of Commerce to revise the bilateral barter trade agreement with Iran. The decision was later endorsed by the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Following the 22nd Iran-Pakistan Joint Economic Committee meeting in Tehran (September 15-16), co-chaired by Iran’s Minister of Transport and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, and Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan, Minister Sadegh published an article on the ministry's news portal. Below is a translation of her piece.

On the eve of new developments in the regional economic order, the Iran-Pakistan Joint Economic Committee once again provided a platform for developing sustainable cooperation between these two important and influential neighbors in South Asia.

Iran-Pakistan relations over the past decades have always been influenced by regional developments, global politics, and security imperatives. Although political relations between the two countries have always been maintained at an acceptable level, their economic and trade capacities have not been actualized as they should have been. Now, on the eve of new developments in the regional economic order, the Iran-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission has once again provided a platform for developing sustainable cooperation between these two important and influential neighbors in South Asia.

The 22nd meeting of the Joint Economic Committee was not only an opportunity to review the past and chart the future of the two countries' economic relations, but also, by holding an unprecedented joint business conference on its sidelines, sent a clear message to regional economic actors, governments, and observers: Iran and Pakistan are ready to turn their potential capacities into the driving engine of economic and trade cooperation.

Along with their long-shared border, Iran and Pakistan also enjoy deep cultural and historical commonalities. The adjacency of the two countries in a region that houses the main arteries of energy, transportation, and trade has created a unique position for economic cooperation.

On one hand, Iran, with its vast oil and gas resources, can play a role as a reliable energy supplier for Pakistan. On the other hand, Pakistan, with its young and growing population and extensive needs in the fields of energy, infrastructure, and trade, can be one of Iran's most important export markets.

This natural convergence, although overshadowed by political considerations and sanctions in the past, can become the driving engine of the two countries' economic interactions in the new regional atmosphere.

The Iran-Pakistan Joint Economic Committee has, over the past two decades, always been a platform for negotiation and agreement in various fields. But what distinguished the 22nd meeting of this committee was the serious entry of the private sector into the process of dialogue and cooperation.

Holding a joint business conference with the participation of 50 Iranian companies and over 100 Pakistani companies, totaling 500 participants, indicated the serious determination of economic actors in both countries to move beyond the traditional boundaries of interactions. Such an event is rarely seen on the sidelines of Joint Committee meetings, which doubles its special importance.

At this conference, economic actors had the opportunity to closely familiarize themselves with the capacities, needs, and areas of cooperation of the other side and propose solutions for removing obstacles to direct trade, joint investment, and the development of border infrastructure.

One of the key points of the meeting and the business conference was the emphasis on the centrality of the private sector in Iran-Pakistan economic relations. The experience of successful countries in developing bilateral trade has shown that without the presence and initiative of economic actors, government agreements cannot achieve the desired result.

The Iranian companies present at the conference were mainly active in the fields of energy, petrochemicals, food industries, pharmaceuticals, construction, and technical-engineering services. In contrast, Pakistani companies had also entered the arena in the sectors of agriculture, textiles, transportation, and information technology. This diversity of fields indicates the wide range of cooperation capacities between the two countries, which can bear fruit in the form of joint investments or technology exchange.

One of the important topics discussed in the Joint Committee was the role of Iran and Pakistan in regional transportation corridors. Iran, as a connecting bridge between Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Persian Gulf, and Europe, and Pakistan, as a gateway to South Asia and the Indian Ocean, both have a unique position in connecting trade chains.

The development of joint rail and road routes, facilitating the transit of goods, and establishing modern border infrastructure could significantly reduce the cost of trade and increase the volume of exchanges. In this regard, joint investment in border terminals and utilizing the capacity of Iranian and Pakistani ports as key links in the transit chain were put on the agenda.

Of course, it should not be forgotten that the path to expanding Iran-Pakistan economic cooperation also faces challenges. Economic sanctions against Iran, security considerations at the borders, weaknesses in banking infrastructure for financial exchange, and logistical limitations are some of these challenges.

MA