Pakistan, Iran agree to facilitate cross‑border trade

Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi held talks with his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni in Tehran on Saturday, with both sides discussing ways to strengthen bilateral ties, improve border security and expand trade between the two neighbouring countries.

Naqvi made an unannounced visit to Iran, where he met senior Iranian officials and discussed a range of issues, particularly border trade, transit and the movement of goods.

Welcoming the Pakistani interior minister, Momeni thanked Pakistan’s government and people for what he described as their friendly and brotherly approach towards Iran. He said relations between the two countries are rooted in history and expressed hope that cooperation along the shared border would continue to grow.

The Iranian minister said both sides were focused on enhancing economic and trade ties and stressed the need to create better facilities on both sides of the border to strengthen unity and cooperation.

Momeni also noted that people in both countries hold positive views of each other and referred to remarks by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei regarding ties with Pakistan.

For his part, Naqvi thanked the Iranian government for hosting him and said Pakistan and Iran were working towards practical solutions on matters related to bilateral relations, border management and trade.

Naqvi also said he would continue discussions on the issues with other Iranian officials during further meetings scheduled for Sunday.