TEHRAN – Iran’s First Vice-President, Dr. Mohammad Reza Aref, has reaffirmed Tehran’s dedication to boosting bilateral ties with Pakistan, setting a bold target of $10 billion in annual trade. He made the announcement during a productive meeting with Pakistan’s National Food Security Minister, Rana Tanveer Hussain, in Tehran, underscoring the mutual will to deepen economic cooperation.
Dr. Aref emphasised that the upcoming session of the Pakistan-Iran Joint Economic Commission, to be hosted in Iran, will serve as a key platform for exploring fresh avenues of collaboration. Meanwhile, Minister Hussain conveyed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s commitment to expanding exports to Iran, highlighting potential areas such as rice, corn, bananas, meat, and livestock. In turn, Pakistan invited Iran to expand imports of pesticides and other agricultural inputs, aiming to strengthen food security and agricultural integration across the two countries.
Officials from both sides stressed that bolstering agricultural and food security cooperation could become a driving force for broader economic integration. They also acknowledged the importance of leveraging cultural, historical, and people-to-people connections to deepen regional partnerships.
Observers noted that this renewed push follows earlier agreements—including memoranda of understanding between the chambers of commerce of both nations—to raise trade volumes substantially. With current trade levels estimated at around $3 billion, this target would represent a transformative escalation in economic engagement.
As the global economic landscape faces increasing unpredictability, such initiatives underscore the strategic role Pakistan and Iran can play in building mutually beneficial regional trade networks, particularly in vital sectors like agriculture, food security, and border commerce.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.