Islamabad, August 4, 2026: Pakistan and Iran on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to increasing bilateral trade to $10 billion and expanding cooperation in trade, investment and private-sector development during the 10th Pakistan-Iran Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting held in Islamabad.
The meeting was co-chaired by Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade, Mohammad Atabak.
According to a joint communiqué issued after the talks, both sides reaffirmed their resolve to deepen economic cooperation and unlock the full potential of bilateral trade.
Addressing the meeting, Minister Mohammad Atabak described Pakistan as Iran’s long-term strategic trading partner and expressed Tehran’s interest in expanding trade and logistics cooperation through the ports of Karachi and Gwadar.
He also voiced optimism that negotiations on a Pakistan-Iran Free Trade Agreement (FTA) would conclude soon, saying enhanced electricity trade and improved regional connectivity offered significant economic opportunities for both countries.
Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan said the longstanding historical and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran should be transformed into a strong and dynamic economic partnership.
He stressed the need to finalise the proposed Free Trade Agreement at the earliest opportunity and called for the removal of barriers affecting border logistics, customs procedures and cargo movement to facilitate smoother bilateral trade.
The minister said the establishment of joint border markets and the implementation of electronic data interchange (EDI) systems would further strengthen commercial activity between the two neighbouring countries.
He added that the private sectors of Pakistan and Iran were prepared to expand business cooperation, while governments had the responsibility to provide a stable, transparent and business-friendly environment.
Expressing confidence in the outcome of the meeting, Jam Kamal Khan said the Joint Trade Committee would develop a practical roadmap to elevate bilateral economic cooperation and help achieve the shared target of increasing annual trade to $10 billion.
An Iranian delegation, led by Minister Mohammad Atabak, arrived in Islamabad on Monday for a two-day visit to participate in the 10th Joint Trade Committee meeting and hold discussions with senior Pakistani officials on strengthening bilateral trade relations.
The delegation included 22 government officials and a 16-member business delegation led by the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA). Representatives from the food, agribusiness, logistics, shipping, transportation, energy and manufacturing sectors also participated in the visit to promote greater private-sector engagement and expand commercial cooperation between Pakistan and Iran.
