Islamabad, February 17, 2026: Pakistan and Iran have agreed to strengthen agricultural trade and enhance bilateral cooperation in imports and exports during a high-level meeting attended by key officials from both countries.
On the Pakistani side, participants included Jam Kamal Khan, Federal Minister for Commerce; Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research; and Rana Ehsan Afzal Khan, Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Commerce. Representing Iran was Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Minister of Agriculture.
The discussions focused on boosting bilateral trade in agricultural commodities, with Iran expressing strong interest in importing rice, wheat, tropical fruits, livestock, meat, sugar, pesticides, and other agricultural inputs from Pakistan. Special emphasis was placed on expanding rice exports, with Iran ready to accept larger volumes, while Pakistan assured a consistent commercial-scale supply. Cooperation in crop protection and agricultural inputs was also highlighted as a means to enhance productivity and food security in both countries.
Both sides agreed on the importance of sourcing essential goods from regional partners to reduce reliance on distant markets. Measures to improve border infrastructure, transportation links in Balochistan, customs processing, and logistics were discussed, alongside plans to establish a secure financial mechanism to address banking-related challenges. Pakistan noted that it is developing a transparent, low-risk model to facilitate trade.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Pakistan and Iran reaffirmed their commitment to take practical steps to resolve outstanding issues and expand agricultural trade, emphasizing its significance for bilateral relations, regional stability, and food security.
