Iran and Pakistan have agreed to deepen their strategic partnership with a focus on boosting trade, improving border infrastructure, and enhancing security cooperation, according to officials involved in meetings held this week in Islamabad.
The discussions centered on expanding economic ties, increasing border connectivity, and strengthening joint efforts to combat terrorism and cross-border crime along the nearly 900-kilometer frontier between the two countries. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to raising their annual bilateral trade volume to $10 billion by facilitating improved transport links, streamlining customs procedures, and removing barriers to commerce.
During talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Zahedan-based Iranian Transport Minister Alireza Momeni outlined three key priorities for Tehran: enabling smoother movement of commercial trucks across the border, accelerating the growth of bilateral trade, and modernizing railway infrastructure at the Taftan-Mirjaveh crossing to enhance regional connectivity. Momeni noted that Iran has extended its railway network up to near the Mirjaveh border and called on Pakistan to expedite modernization work on its side at Taftan, describing the project as crucial for expanding freight transport and trade between the two countries.
Momeni also emphasized boosting commercial activities at the Rimdan-Gabd border crossing, urging Islamabad to implement additional measures to facilitate cross-border trade and improve logistical efficiency. Pakistani Federal Minister for Interior Sarfraz Ahmed Naqvi welcomed Momeni’s visit as a positive step toward broader regional cooperation. Naqvi pointed to the participation of senior Iranian officials from various ministries—industry, petroleum, agriculture, and transport—as evidence of a mutual commitment to deepening economic engagement and creating new opportunities for investment.
Security cooperation was a major theme of the meetings. Officials on both sides acknowledged terrorism as a mutual threat and reiterated their determination to prevent militant groups and their financial networks from destabilizing border areas. Naqvi called for closer collaboration between Pakistani and Iranian security and intelligence agencies to dismantle terrorist cells and disrupt funding streams. He also stressed the importance of enhanced joint efforts to combat human trafficking, particularly regarding illegal migration through maritime routes exploited by criminal networks.
Beyond bilateral talks, Momeni met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and military chief Field Marshal Munir to discuss wider regional developments and underscored the importance of ongoing political dialogue and strategic coordination between Tehran and Islamabad.
In addition to official engagements, the Iranian minister visited the Pakistan National Monument in Islamabad to pay respects to the country’s founders and those who sacrificed during the independence movement. He also toured the Islamabad Capital Territory Police headquarters and was scheduled to visit Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force to explore opportunities for expanded cooperation in law enforcement and counter-narcotics operations.