TEHRAN – Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) in collaboration with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry held a webinar on Iran-Pakistan trade opportunities on Wednesday.

As reported by the ICCIMA portal, the online event was attended by the heads of Iran’s chambers of commerce, as well as officials and businessmen from both sides.

ICCIMA Head Gholam-Hossein Shafeie, President of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Nasser Hyatt Maggo, Consul General of Iran in Karachi Hassan Nourian, Pakistan's Commercial Counselor in Iran Ahmad Massoud, and the ICCIMA Deputy Head Mohammadreza Karbasi were among the attendees of the online event.

The establishment of a mechanism for barter trade, resolving banking barriers, following up on Iran’s export issues at the Mirjaveh border, and signing a free trade agreement between the two countries were among the topics discussed during the webinar.

Speaking in the meeting, Shafeie pointed to the reopening of Mirjavah and Taftan border crossings for trade and student traffic and said: “This is a positive sign for the resumption of trade between the two countries and the development of economic cooperation.”

He mentioned the unacceptable level of trade between the two countries considering good capacities for mutual economic relation, saying: “The volume of trade and economic cooperation between Iran and Pakistan, given the existing capacities and good political relations between the two countries, is far from the level of expectations of both sides and is not acceptable.”

“The share of the two countries’ in each other's markets does not exceed two or three percent, and therefore there is a need for serious determination and efforts, both by the officials of the two countries and by the private sectors and organizations, to achieve the trade goals set,” Shafeie added.

Referring to Iran's accession as a new member of the Shanghai Economic Cooperation Organization, the official noted that this has doubled the opportunity for cooperation between the two countries and called it an incentive that should not be missed.

“Although the potential for cooperation between the two neighboring countries is very wide, we all know that obstacles are also problematic in this regard and it is necessary to find a solution,” the ICCIMA head said.

According to the official, lack of banking channels and brokerage relations between the two countries, tariff problems and the non-full implementation of the signed preferential agreement, as well as the imposition of export and import bans are the major barriers in the way of the two countries’ trade.

EF/MA