Pakistan and Iran are moving closer to formalising their Free Trade Agreement (FTA), as the finalised text of the accord is now under internal review by Pakistani authorities, with plans for official approval soon.
This was disclosed during a meeting between Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan, with Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri-Moghaddam, to discuss avenues for strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Pakistan and Iran, read a statement.
The meeting highlighted ongoing initiatives, trade agreements, and upcoming opportunities to further enhance economic ties between the two neighbouring countries.
During the meeting, Jam Kamal informed that the text of the Pakistan-Iran FTA, which was signed in Islamabad, is currently under internal review, with plans for presentation for official approval soon.
Pakistan set to export corn as Iran prepares trade mission
Ambassador Amiri welcomed this development and also noted that flights between Quetta and Zahedan have resumed, enhancing connectivity for people and trade.
He highlighted the progress in bilateral trade, recalling the previous agreements for imports of 400,000 tons of rice, 300,000 tons of meat, 200,000 tons of maize, and 50,000 tons of animal feed.
The envoy noted that Iran has completed rice imports and is now ready to purchase animal feed and maize.
Jam Kamal extended an invitation to Iranian companies and state-owned organisations to participate in the upcoming FoodAg exhibition, scheduled to be held from November 25 to 27, 2025, at the Karachi Expo Center.
The minister emphasised that such platforms would provide opportunities for Iranian and Pakistani businesses to explore trade, investment, and joint ventures in the agri-food sector.
The commerce minister proposed arranging high-level visits, including those of the Chief Minister of Balochistan and the Governor of Zahedan, to facilitate cross-border trade and improve the livelihoods of people living in the border regions.
He also suggested inviting Pakistani ministers from the maritime, railways, and communications sectors to Iran to explore avenues of cooperation in their respective fields.
The federal minister underlined that over the past year, positive engagements between Pakistan and Iran have been fruitful, fostering stronger economic and trade relations.
He also thanked the ambassador for acknowledging Pakistan’s amendments to the barter trade mechanism under the SRO, which have eased business operations between the two countries.
They highlighted the shared vision of their leadership to achieve US$10 billion in annual bilateral trade by 2028 and expressed satisfaction over the successful organisation of the 22nd Session of the Pak-Iran Joint Economic Commission held in Tehran on September 15-16, 2025.
Jam Kamal emphasised that the Ministry of Commerce, in consultation with relevant internal stakeholders including the FBR and the Ministry of Communications, is actively addressing issues faced by Iranian trucks entering Pakistan.
He also called for the reactivation of the Pakistan-Iran Joint Business Council to enhance B2B engagement between the two countries.
Highlighting trade facilitation efforts, the commerce minister welcomed the reactivation of the Mand-Pishin Joint Border Market on July 30, 2025, and urged the expedited operationalisation of the remaining two joint border markets at Chegdi-Kouhak and Gabd-Reemdan.
He stressed the need to reduce non-tariff barriers, particularly through closer collaboration between the National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) and quarantine agencies of both countries.
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