Iran envoy proposes turning border into trade corridor

QUETTA: Iran’s Consul General in Quetta, Ali Reza Raajahi, has said that Tehran is eager to transform the Pakistan-Iran border, traditionally viewed through a security lens, into a corridor of trade and cooperation—especially between Pakistan’s Balochistan and Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan provinces.

Addressing a meeting at the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI), Raajahi noted that concerns raised by Balochistan’s business community have already been conveyed to Iran’s governors of Sistan-Balochistan and Khorasan, as well as to Iran’s national councils on security, economy, and culture.

“We are working to build a dedicated business room inside the Iranian Consulate in Quetta to address trade barriers and resolve issues faced by traders,” he said, adding that Iran is also ready to establish manufacturing units for Zamiyad vehicles and Iranian motorcycles in Pakistan.

Earlier in the session, QCCI President Haji Muhammad Ayub Mariani and other office-bearers called for expanding bilateral trade volume to $10 billion. They urged both governments to simplify trade procedures and facilitate easier movement of goods and people.

The business leaders proposed several measures including: visa facilitation for Pakistani traders, activation of border markets, establishment of a Pak-Iran Expo Centre at Taftan, removal of unnecessary import restrictions and annual quota systems on Pakistani rice and sesame in Iran, and the formulation of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). They also objected to the $1 per kilometer fee imposed on Pakistani cargo vehicles in Iran.

In response, Raajahi expressed support but stressed the need for practical solutions rather than just committees. “We recommend forming a trade syndicate for swift and sustainable problem-solving,” he said, emphasizing shared economic interests and the need to shield bilateral ties from third-party interference.

He added that video interviews could be arranged for those unable to visit the consulate for visa processing and reiterated Iran’s commitment to regional peace, citing Tehran’s efforts to mediate between Pakistan and India.

The meeting concluded with the presentation of a commemorative shield to the Iranian Consul General by QCCI representatives.