Tehran, Islamabad open joint commission meeting to strengthen trade, economic links
Iran and Pakistan will open the 22nd meeting of their Joint Economic Commission in Tehran today, focusing on expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
Pakistan’s Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan arrived in the Iranian capital at the head of a high-level delegation on Sunday to attend the two-day meeting, which is being co-chaired by Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh and Kamal Khan, Mehr reported.
Talks are aimed at boosting cooperation in trade, investment, banking, energy, industry, transport and infrastructure, as well as promoting social, cultural and provincial exchanges.
The two neighbors agreed in 2025 to raise bilateral agricultural trade to $3 billion over the next two years.
In reviewing the current situation and development opportunities in the field of imports and exports between the two countries, Reza Nourani, a member of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, said Iranian exports to Pakistan reached about $606 million between March and June 2025, while imports from Pakistan stood at $281 million.
Nourani said the long-delayed Iran–Pakistan gas pipeline could provide a stable energy source for Pakistan and deepen cooperation. He also noted that new cross-border markets under construction would help facilitate legal trade and curb smuggling.
He further highlighted the negative impact of international sanctions, identifying inadequate transportation and logistics infrastructure at border crossings as a major obstacle to expanding trade with Pakistan. According to Nourani, overcoming these challenges requires a set of strategic measures, including the development of joint border markets, the establishment of shared financial and banking mechanisms, the signing of new trade agreements, and the promotion of joint investments in energy, agriculture, and industrial sectors.