Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan, HE Dr Reza Amiri Moghaddam, has said that in the new regional geo-economic paradigm shift through connectivity corridors, Pakistan and Iran play a significant role in regional economic integration.
Now new conflicts and wars have emerged between new geo-economic regional and global players and in the most recent Iran and shifted its security paradigm through border markets and for securing economic and trade gains.
The Ambassador expressed these views in his keynote address at a forum on “Pakistan-Iran Connectivity ! For Two Countries and Two Continents” at the Center of Pakistan and International Relations COPAIR in collaboration with “Pakistan in the World” media group in Islamabad, said a release issued here on Sunday.
“Our Security boundaries are now trade borders, which are significant for future geo-economic integration between both sides,” he said. Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan, HE Dr Reza Amiri Moghaddam, has said, the geo-strategic shift of power is now converted into connectivity corridors, and in the modern world, those who have the best access to corridors connect the regions and continents.
Iran and Pakistan corridors are the important geo-strategic players, who can play a significant role in the global economy and here we can cooperate with the world’s markets and achieve the dream of economic empowerment by ourselves.”
Dr Moghaddam said, Promotion of trade and businesses is a must for defence and security. Our borders were security borders, but now they are economic, trade borders. Iran connects Pakistan to Turkiye, Azerbaijan and beyond to Europe and Eurasia. If we develop our corridors, we will be even more able to cooperate between ourselves. Iran supports Pakistani membership in BRICS.
He said, Chah e Bahar is not the rival but a complementary port for Gwadar. Showing Chah e Bahaar as the rival of Gwadar is a conspiracy theory based upon the propaganda of the enemies and a parochial approach based upon zero knowledge of geopolitics and how the mega economics works.
He said, we are working on all means of connectivity, including land, railway, air and sea. He recalled recent visits of President Masoud Pezeshkiyan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the highest point in bilateral cooperation, while the leaders agreed to enhance the level of economic relations. ” Bilateral relations are at the highest level for the last two years as our Presidents visited Pakistan every year, while PM Shehbaz visited Iran two times. They inaugurated projects at the borders. Foreign Ministers are in continuous contact on all bilateral, regional and international affairs, the Ambassador mentioned.
Dr Reza Amiri Moghaddam stated, Iran connects East and West, North and South. We are activating Islamabad, Tehran Istanbul (ITI) connections to provide ECO, Central Asia to Europe connectivity. We share this central geographical position with Pakistan. We have common borders that help keep the transport charges on import & export lower to provide the products to our people at lower prices. Pakistan can export meat, rice, corn, livestock, and summer food to Iran. We offer petrol, construction material and other items. 50 to 60 percent of our needs for different products can be traded on each side. Iran imports meat from far away countries like Newsland. Definitely it is too costly with long-distance transport charges.
Ambassador noted 3 main hurdles in promotion of cooperation: 1- Terrorism on Borders 2- Lack of Banking channels 3- Red Tap (Bureaucratic procedures).
He said, despite terrorism in border areas, the cooperation is going well. Financial matters are slow but small traders are working on their own level. We are contacting big companies to come to this side. Bureaucratic hurdles are on both sides. We are trying to keep our customs open 24 hours at the border. Dr Moghaddam shared, we are moving forward to FTA. The Iranian Ministry of Commerce is confident about remarkable development in trade within the next few months.
He said, A big exhibition is held in Spring every year in Iran. Pakistani participation in this exhibition improves every year. When I assumed the office in Islamabad 2 years ago, the trade volume was $2 billion and now it is $3.1 billion. Bilateral trade is increasing up to $500 to 600 million every year.
The Ambassador was sure that, if we continue with the same pace and spirit, we can achieve the goal of bilateral trade at $10 billion. “Important is , the understanding has been developed and the approach has changed which will actually lead us to reach the target set by our leaders, President Pezeshkiyan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Ambassador highlighted. He shared the steps that have been taken so far for an increase in trade. Earlier, there was only one border crossing, but now 3 are working. 5 border markets have been opened. Activation of the corridors will further add to the volume of trade. On Iran’s connectivity potential, the Ambassador is looking forward to Pakistan’s access to Turkiye, Baku, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the whole Caucasus, Central Asia and Europe in the future. Similarly, Iran’s trade trucks can travel to China.
Regarding Air connectivity, Dr. Moghaddam referred to the resumption of Islamabad-Tehran flights after two decades and expressed the possibility of linking Lahore, Tehran, Quetta-Zahedan as well, soon. He discussed sea, maritime connections with emphasis on the benefits of the two nearby ports of both countries, that are Chah e Bahaar and Gwadar. He also mentioned the connectivity between Bandar Abbas and Karachi that has been agreed upon in the recent visit of Pakistani Minister of Commerce Jaam Kamaal Khan. On the strategic side, the Ambassador spoke highly about Pakistan’s stand in favor of Iran on the issue of the Civil Nuclear Program and the US-Israel attacks on Iran. Pakistan supported Iran at UNSC last month when 3 European countries tried the abuse a dispute mechanism outlined in the 2015 nuclear deal to reimpose sanctions against Iran.