TEHRAN – Iranian Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani met with Pakistani Ambassador to Tehran Riffat Masood on Wednesday in Tehran to discuss expansion of trade ties.

In the meeting, Rahmani mentioned Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Iran in late April, saying “During the prime minister’s visit the two sides called for exploiting business and economic opportunities.”

Rahmani furthered offered establishing and activating border markets and identification and resolution of the problems that the two sides’ traders are facing, as some ways of increasing trade between the two countries.

“Soon I'll have a visit to Pakistan to follow up on the agreements reached during Imran Khan’s visit to Tehran,” Rahmani said.

“Considering the two sides’ willingness for achieving constructive business cooperation, it is expected that this goal is going to be achieved in the near future with the measures taken and the greater involvement of the private sector,” he added.

In late April, an Iran-Pakistan business forum was held at Tehran during the Pakistani prime minister’s visit, in which the two sides emphasized the necessity of using all available opportunities to expand bilateral trade relations.

The business forum, which was held by Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (TCCIMA) in cooperating with the Embassy of Pakistan in Tehran, was attended by a number of Iranian and Pakistani officials including Imran Khan, Iranian Transport Minister Mohammad Eslami, TCCIMA Head Masoud Khansari, and some businessmen from the both sides.

Imran Khan along with a delegation visited Iran in a two-day stay at the invitation of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to strengthen political and trade ties between the two countries.

EF/MA