Pakistans port capacity an advantage for Irans trade with East Asia

‘Pakistan's port capacity, an advantage for Iran's trade with East Asia’

TEHRAN- The Head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) described the visit of a Pakistani delegation to Iran—aimed at holding a bilateral meeting and following up on the approvals of the 10th Joint Trade Committee—as the beginning of a brilliant era in the development of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, and emphasized the need for a long-term perspective on Tehran-Islamabad relations.

According to the TPO Public Relations Department, a bilateral meeting to follow up on the approvals of the 10th Joint Trade Committee was held with the delegation from Pakistan's Ministry of Maritime Affairs at the Isfahan Hall of the Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds. The meeting was attended by Mohammad-Ali Dehghan Dehnavi, Head of the Trade Promotion Organization, along with TPO deputies and managers, as well as Shahid Ahmed, Chairman of the Karachi Port Trust, and a number of high-ranking representatives from Pakistan's Ministry of Maritime Affairs.

At the start of the meeting, Dehghan Dehnavi emphasized the need to chart a long-term vision for Iran-Pakistan trade, stating: "This meeting should go beyond technical and short-term issues and pursue all matters with a long-term horizon, keeping in view the 10-billion-dollar trade target agreed upon by the leaders of the two countries."

The Head of TPO stressed the necessity of developing shipping lines and land transport between the two countries and said: "In the past, Pakistani goods were transported to Iran through third countries. In line with the long-term vision, direct routes between the two countries should be established and strengthened."

Dehghan Dehnavi spoke of Iran's willingness to diversify its foreign trade routes and make greater use of Pakistan's capacity, and clarified: "Achieving this goal requires the development of cooperation in transport infrastructure and ports."

He also referred to Iran's considerable volume of trade with East Asia, particularly China, and said: "Pakistan's port capacity and transport routes can be utilized to transfer a portion of these goods to Iran via sea and land routes."

Dehghan Dehnavi announced the readiness of the Trade Promotion Organization to reach agreements and negotiate with the Pakistani side, adding: "We are striving to establish a long-term and sustainable trade relationship between the two countries."

The Head of TPO concluded by recalling that the approvals of the 10th Joint Trade Committee—held in Islamabad with the presence of the Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade—can pave the way for the development of trade cooperation between the two countries.

Also during the meeting, Shahid Ahmed, head of the Pakistani delegation and Chairman of the Karachi Port Trust, emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the field of transport and maritime trade, and declared the Pakistani side's readiness to cooperate with Iran in facilitating and expanding trade exchanges.

It is worth noting that at this meeting, Iranian private sector activists also put forward their views and proposals for developing and facilitating trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

MA

source: tehrantimes.com