Iran wants to boost bilateral trade with Pakistan: envoy

Islamabad: Iran and Pakistan have great scope to enhance mutual trade relations and should consider setting up digital markets to boost bilateral trade up to the potential of both countries.

This was stated by Syed Mohammad Ali Hosseini, ambassador of Iran while interacting with the business community during his visit to Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) along with Qadyanlo, commercial attaché and Beheshti Secretary, said a press release issued here.

Hosseini said that Iran-Pakistan bilateral trade was around $1.5 billion before Covid-19, which has now come down to less than $1 billion. He said that foreign sanctions on Iran were a problem for trade promotion, therefore, establishment of Pak-Iran digital markets and joint border markets could be the better options to improve two-way trade volume.

Hosseini said that Iran and Pakistan have agreed to set up 3 border crossing points that would help increase bilateral trade. However, he said, that facilitation and exemptions by the Government of Pakistan for border markets would support the Pakistani business community to further enhance trade with Iranian counterparts.

The Iranian Envoy said that lack of better connectivity between the private sectors of Iran and Pakistan was one of the factors for low trade volume and stressed the need of close cooperation between Iran-Pakistan chambers of commerce to develop strong business linkages between the private sectors of both countries.

He also highlighted the need for exchange of trade delegations for trade promotion and assured that Iranian Embassy was ready to help in introducing more Pakistani products in Iranian market.

Speaking at the occasion, ICCI President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan said many Pakistani products including pharmaceuticals, textiles, fruits, pink salt, IT products & services, surgical instruments, leather products, steel & pipes, sanitary & crockery could find a good market in Iran at cost effective prices.