Iran and Pakistan have moved to explore wider cooperation in the mining sector, as part of a broader push to expand trade between the two neighbours. Mohammad Ali Dehghan Dehnavi, head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organization (TPO), which works to promote Iranian trade abroad, met Asad Ahmad, chief executive of the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation. The two officials reviewed ways to widen trade and economic relations and examined the existing capacities for developing cooperation in mining.
Mining talks and trade capacity
Dehghan Dehnavi held detailed talks with Ahmad on new areas for trade and fresh opportunities for economic exchange. He said the TPO was ready to support a wider trade relationship with Pakistan, and described Pakistan as a friendly neighbour that holds great priority for Iran. Ahmad welcomed the progress and the creation of new capacity for trade between the two countries.
Dehghan Dehnavi also pointed to Iran's population of about 90 million, its energy resources, its mining and industrial base, and its access to rail, road and sea routes. He named ports on the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, including Chabahar, and said Iran was willing to use the capacity of Karachi and Gwadar ports in Pakistan. Private sector links were also highlighted through a cooperation memorandum between Iran's chamber of commerce and Pakistan's federation of chambers of commerce.
Joint Trade Committee MoU and the $10 billion goal
The mining talks follow an agreement signed in early August at the 10th session of the Joint Trade Committee in Islamabad. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) is a signed document that records shared intent and sets out a framework for cooperation. This one covers joint border regions, maritime activity and shipping, steps toward a free trade agreement, joint free zones, and barter trade, which means exchanging goods without using money.
Iran's Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade, Seyyed Mohammad Atabak, and his Pakistani counterpart, Jam Kamal Khan, attended the final session. Atabak described the negotiations as highly constructive and said Iran places no limit on increasing trade volume with Pakistan. He urged business communities in both countries to play their essential role. Both sides have reaffirmed a target of $10 billion in bilateral trade and a formal free trade agreement, which is a deal that removes most tariffs between two countries. Dehghan Dehnavi put trade in 2025 at about $3 billion, with the $10 billion target set for 2030.
Obstacles and what comes next
Dehghan Dehnavi said reaching the target requires removing obstacles. He listed transport and customs problems, barriers to financial transfers and banking matters, and the need to strengthen border infrastructure. A large Iranian trade delegation travelling with the officials includes companies in oil, gas, petrochemicals, food, agriculture, transport, shipping and knowledge-based products. With the MoU signed and implementation mechanisms being developed, the next step is to turn these frameworks into concrete projects. The available account does not name specific mining projects, investment amounts or deadlines for the mining talks.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Early August: Iran and Pakistan sign an MoU during the 10th session of the Joint Trade Committee in Islamabad, covering trade, free zones and barter.
- 2025: Bilateral trade reaches about $3 billion, according to Dehghan Dehnavi.
- 2030: The target year for $10 billion in bilateral trade.
- Date not specified: The TPO head and the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation CEO meet to discuss mining sector cooperation.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Iran aur Pakistan ne mining sector mein taawun barhane par baat ki hai, aur dono mulk bilateral tijarat ko 2030 tak 10 billion dollar tak le jaane ka hadaf dohra rahe hain. Agast mein ek MoU bhi sign hua tha jis mein free trade agreement aur joint free zones ki baatein shamil hain. Abhi tak qeemat, bijli ya safar ka kiraya badalne ka koi elaan nahi hua hai. Aam shehri ke liye iska matlab yeh ho sakta hai ke sarhad par tijarat aur rozgar ke mauqe barhein, lekin yeh kab hoga, is par abhi koi tareekh nahi di gayi.
