Pakistan and Iran Aim to Raise Bilateral Trade to $10 Billion, Interior Ministers Meet in Tehran

Shiite News: Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held an important meeting in Tehran, during which Momeni said the primary objective was to review progress on agreements reached during his previous visit to Pakistan. He said Pakistan-Iran relations had strengthened further over the past two years, with extensive and constructive ties established between the two countries across various sectors.

Momeni said that Iran and Pakistan’s short- and medium-term priority was to increase bilateral trade from approximately $3 billion to $10 billion. To achieve this target, the two countries plan to keep their two active border crossings open around the clock and ensure the movement of at least 2,000 trucks per day. The two sides are also preparing to open another crossing at Kohak once the necessary infrastructure is completed. Work is also underway to coordinate the railway systems of the two countries in order to reduce the need for repeated transfers of goods.

Momeni announced that a meeting of interior ministers from ECO member states would be held in Pakistan next month, where he would represent Iran. He appreciated the close cooperation with Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. He said there were no fundamental obstacles to achieving the trade target and that the two sides remained in regular telephone contact several times a week to address issues and remove obstacles.

On the occasion, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that visiting Iran made him feel as though he were in his own office. He thanked the Iranian side for its hospitality and said the meeting also covered border cooperation as well as efforts by Prime Minister of Pakistan and Field Marshal Asim Munir to advance the peace process.

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Naqvi expressed hope that further progress would be made on bilateral issues during Eskandar Momeni’s visit to Islamabad.