A delegation of Pakistani academic members headed by Mukhtar Ahmed, chairman of Pakistan’s higher education commission, visited Iran’s House of Innovation and Technology (iHiT) on Monday, January 15.

“Iran is ready to cooperate with Pakistan in technological fields. Information and communication technology, agriculture, and health are among the fields in which the two countries can boost cooperation,” ISNA quoted Amir-Hossein Mir-Abadi, an official with the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, as saying.

Ahmed, for his part, said that Iran and Pakistan are confronting similar problems and challenges; these common issues can lay the basis for boosting mutual relations and cooperation. “Pakistan is interested in cooperating and interacting with Iran in scientific and technological fields.”

The Pakistani official went on to say that the sanctions have made Iran more successful in scientific fields.

Exchanging academic staff including professors and students and conducting joint projects can be among other options of cooperation between Iran and Pakistan, he added.

Talking about setting up national pavilions in different countries, Ahmed said Pakistan is ready to hold Iranian pavilions, too.

He hoped that the bilateral cooperation would be extended into regional cooperation including other countries such as India and Bangladesh.

Sharing technological expertise with Islamic nations

In May 2023, the deputy science minister said Iran is ready to share its technological expertise with other Islamic countries.

Science and technology should be applied in order to create world peace and human justice, and Muslim countries can bring peace and progress not only to the Muslim nations but also to human beings with unity and empathy, Vahid Haddadi-Asl said, IRNA reported.

He made the remarks at the 1st Ministerial Meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Dialogue Platform (OIC-15) which was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on May 25-26.

“Over the past years, despite the cruel sanctions imposed by the global arrogance against the Islamic Republic of Iran, we have seen significant progress in the fields of education, research, and technology, which is a sign of reliance on Iranian scholars and scientists. We are always ready to share our technological expertise with other Islamic countries.”

The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it its duty to support science and technology diplomacy between Islamic countries, through conducting joint scientific projects in areas needed by Islamic countries, he highlighted.

The goal can be achieved through creating innovation zones and a union of science and technology parks of Islamic countries, activating the union of universities of Islamic countries, and also exchanging of professors and students, the official noted.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation is the second largest organization after the United Nations with a membership of 57 states spread over four continents.

The Organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world. It endeavors to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.

The Organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on 25 September 1969.

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Kakavand emphasized the need to expand interactions and cooperation between the two countries in the field of anti-narcotics, ISNA reported.

Referring to Rask terrorist attack that led to the martyrdom of 11 policemen he stated since terrorist groups and drug traffickers are connected in the region, it is necessary for the two sides to fight against drug traffickers more decisively and purposefully by expanding collaboration, exchanging information and conducting joint operations.

Pointing to the geographical position of Iran and Pakistan, as neighboring countries of Afghanistan, Kakavand said it is essential to improve the level of interactions between the two countries by holding bilateral meetings and border meetings as well.

By adopting common positions in international forums, the two countries can be introduced as main forces to combat illicit trafficking in the international arena, he added.

Rehman Malik, for his part, stressing the need to enhance cooperation and sharing information in the filed of the fight against drug trafficking, called it necessary for the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) to support Iran and Pakistan as forefront countries in the fight against narcotics.

Iran, Pakistan discuss enhancing security along borders

On November 21, Iran and Pakistan stressed the need to boost security along borders in a bid to promote relations and improve coordination between the two neighboring countries.

The Islamic Republic of Iran fights hard against drug smugglers and prevents them from entering the region, the commander of the Iranian border guards said.

“We are pleased to hold the second joint border meeting of Iran and Pakistan since it affects the two countries’ relations, ” IRNA quoted Brigadier General Ahmad-Ali Goudarzi as saying.

He made the remarks in a meeting with Rear Admiral Imtiaz Ali, the director general of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA).

The Iranian official said former joint meetings have had a significant impact on border security relations. “These meetings should continue to be held with the focus on improving maritime security and fighting drug trafficking, as the main objectives.”

Global support essential in fight against narcotic

On October 8, Kakavand, in a meeting with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) representative in Tehran, Alexander Fedulov, called it essential to support Iran in the fight against drug trafficking.

During the meeting, Fedulov said the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been committed to a serious and decisive fight against narcotics at the regional and global level, IRIB reported.

Iran has spent a huge sum of money fighting the war on drugs, and apart from that, many anti-narcotics forces have sacrificed their lives in this way. The high number of martyrs and injured shows Iran’s serious determination to deal with this scourge, the UN official added.

“Considering the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran is at the forefront of the fight against drug trafficking, the UNODC and the international community support of Iran should be proportionate to the activities and actions at the regional and global level.”

He stated since new smuggling routes and concealment methods are emerging, it is necessary for the anti-narcotics police to be equipped with new detection equipment and tools. Needless to say, the UNODC in Tehran plays a prominent role in providing some of these tools.

Kakavand, for his part, highlighted the need to promote regional cooperation and said, “The Anti-Narcotics Police of Iran has always announced its readiness to collaborate and improve cooperation with all the countries in the region and the world to eradicate narcotics.”

Holding meetings with the anti-narcotics police of Pakistan and Afghanistan in the form of a tripartite initiative in previous years is a strong proof of this claim, he noted.

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The officials in the meeting emphasized that the trade between the two countries should not be limited to the border trade in Quetta and must be directed to official channels between the private production and export companies of the two countries.

Motiwala announced the readiness of his organization for long-term and progressive interaction with TCCIMA in order to facilitate the commercial exchanges of the two sides’ economic enterprises.

He stressed the need for continuous exchange of business delegations with the aim of introducing the economic and market cooperation capacities of the two countries and identifying the goods and services needed by the markets of both sides.

According to the official, the chambers of commerce in the two countries can provide the basis for the expansion of interaction between the private sectors of the two countries.

Motiwala also considered the revision and modification of the tariffs on commodities traded between the two countries as necessary to increase the level of economic cooperation, and in this regard, he reminded that Pakistan is taking serious measures.

Khansari, for his part, welcomed the ideas presented by the Pakistani side and emphasized the need for amending the tariffs on goods exchanged between Iran and Pakistan.

“A complete list of commodities needed by the markets of the two countries has been prepared by the Tehran Chamber of Commerce which has been compiled by the data provided by reliable companies,” Khansari said.

Stating that the main channel of trade between the two countries is border exchanges which are almost entirely carried out through the Quetta border, the TCCIMA head said: “In order to strengthen the economic relations between Iran and Pakistan, the trade of the two countries should move away from cross-border exchanges towards interaction between large industries and companies from both sides. In this context, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and the country’s chambers of commerce should encourage the reputable and big industries and businessmen of Pakistan to have direct economic cooperation with the Iranian market.”

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The MOU was signed by Head of Iran’s Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) Alireza Peyman-Pak and Head of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Muhammad Zubair Motiwala, the TPO portal reported.

Based on the MOU, which was signed on the sidelines of Iran’s Exclusive Exhibition in Karachi, the parties pledged to exchange business information, support each other’s private sectors, and provide the conditions and context for the presence of their trade delegations in the other country.

It was also agreed that both sides would take all the necessary measures to facilitate holding exhibitions in the opposite country, whenever required.

Speaking in the signing ceremony, Peyman-Pak said that signing this MOU was indicative of the two sides’ determination for removing the obstacles in the way of bilateral trade and prepare the ground for the businesspersons of both sides to bolster cooperation.

He considered the holding of exclusive exhibitions, exchanging trade delegations, and investment in joint production units as positive steps for knowing the capacities and needs of the two countries and expressed hope that such events would continue.

The TPO head further mentioned some obstacles and infrastructural problems that are hindering the two countries’ mutual trade, including lack of banking relations, problems related to sea transportation and logistics, and tariff-related issues, saying that the Iranian government is willing to resolve such problems in collaboration with the Pakistani government.

Motiwala, for his part, said that the signed MOU is regarded as a major step to enhance bilateral trade to reach the target of five billion dollars annually.

 “Made in Iran” exhibition opens in Karachi

The exclusive exhibition of Iranian products dubbed “Made in Iran” was opened in Karachi the capital of Sindh province in southern Pakistan, on Monday, aiming to showcase the capabilities of Iranian producers and to introduce Iran-made products to Pakistani consumers.

The exhibit was opened in a ceremony attended by senior officials from both sides including TPO Head Alireza Peyman-Pak, Consul General of Iran in Karachi Hassan Noorian, Governor of Sindh Kamran Tesori, and some other Iranian and Pakistani business officials.

The exhibit comes as the Islamic Republic of Iran has recently removed the ban on the imports of Pakistani products listed under the preferential trade agreement between the two countries.

Holding this exclusive exhibition is an effective step for increasing cooperation and coordination between the business people on both sides.

Mohammed Reza Barahoui, the director of Iran’s exclusive exhibition, said on the sidelines of the opening ceremony in an interview with an Iranian media outlet, that about 50 companies from different Iranian provinces operating in the fields of industrial and commercial services, including plastic and polymer materials, food industry, steel industry, copper, services, power plants, construction, turbines, textile machinery, and the construction industry are taking part in the three-day event.

The exhibition has been organized by TPO with the aim of increasing the trade balance between Iran and Pakistan, Barahoui said, adding, “The officials of the two countries are looking for establishing a constructive trade relationship and negotiations will be held on conducting transactions using a barter trade mechanism.”

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Official sources said that a joint meeting called by the Iranian authorities was held between the officials of both countries at Raahdari Gate in Taftan on Monday night.

Taftan Assistant Commissioner Asmat­ullah Achakzai, along with Naib Rasaldar Ilahi Bakhsh Notezai, participated in the meeting, which was also attended by Mir Javeh Marzabn, Mohammad Raza Akhwan and Agha-e-Hameed.

The officials discussed border-related issues and it was decided that security would be further beefed up on the Pak-Iran border between Taftan and Mir Javeh, a Levies Force officer told Dawn.

He said Mr Asmatullah Achakzai raised the issue of the prolonged closure of Zero Point Gate, which is used for local tax-free trade between Pakistan and Iran.

The Iranian officials assured their Pakistani counterparts that Zero Point would be reopened once the presidential election concluded in Iran.

Blood donors: A ceremony for distribution of awards among blood donors was held in Dalbandin on Monday to mark the World Blood Donation Day by the Bolan Blood Bank (BBB), a non-governmental organization.

Speaking on the occasion, Chagai Deputy Commissioner Agha Sher Zaman, District Support Manager of the Peoples Primary Healthcare Initiative Wahab Baloch, BBB Cha­irman Mohammad Bakhsh Baloch and others speakers said that volunteers donating blood were playing a vital role in saving people’s lives.

They said donating blood during a specific gap would help improve health conditions of the donor. They urged the participants to promote awareness among the masses about the importance of blood donation.

The participants and speakers lauded the services of BBB and its Chairman Mohammad Bakhsh Baloch who have been providing free of cost blood to the needy people, particularly thalassemia patients, for the past several years.

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Iran–Pakistan relations covers the bilateral relations between the adjacent states of Iran and Pakistan. After Pakistan gained its independence in August 1947, Iran was one of the first countries to recognize its sovereign status.

Despite some ups and downs and interference of some governments, both countries have continued to cooperate economically where possible and are forming alliances in a number of areas of mutual interest, such as fighting the drug trade along their border and combating the insurgency in the Balochistan region. Iran has also expressed an interest in joining the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as part of the larger Chinese Belt and Road Initiative.

Islamabad has always supported Iran in hard times and in any voting in the United Nations or international communities despite the West’s pressures, and it has shown its loyalty to its friendship to Iran. Iranians will not support Pakistan’s support during the eight-year Iraqi imposed war and even during the UNSC’s attempts to issue resolutions against Iran. These two Muslim countries have great potentials to cooperate together in different fields but so far this opportunity has been less noticed by governments of both countries and it seems due to the regional condition, both sides have shown more determination to bolster the relation especially their trade relation.

Pakistan is one of the few countries where Iranian influence is positively received as per polls conducted by the Pew Research Center. Polls have consistently shown that a very high proportion of Pakistanis view their western neighbor positively. Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khamenei has also called for the sympathy, assistance and inter-cooperation of all Muslim nations, including Pakistan.

The bilateral trade between the two countries has been affected by the U.S. sanctions and policies of governments in both sides, but due to a shift in the policies of Imran Khan and President Rouhani governments, both sides can improve their trade cooperation.

Both sides has recently agreed on strengthening bilateral trade and economic ties by signing a free trade agreement (FTA), building an effective banking channel, establishing markets along the border, eliminating illegal trade, exchanging business delegations, organizing joint trade exhibitions and businessmen-to-businessmen meetings. Opening of some border points are of the other signs showing determination of both countries for boosting economic relations.

But before boosting border trade or any business, both sides need to improve their security cooperation in their joint borders which harm their relations. Terrorist groups which are mainly supported by the enemies of both countries do not let the relation between Iran and Pakistan get warmer and both countries should work together to clean their borders from the terrorist groups.

Recent cooperation agreement between Iran and China has been welcomed by Pakistan as the country itself has started cooperation with China and now they can have a trilateral cooperation in the region for improving the trade and business in the region.

If Pakistan continues to be serious in doing business with Iran, both countries can help each other in different fields and it will also reinforce the Muslim world because the more Muslim countries get closer together, the more the Muslim world would get united against the plots and the West’s atrocities and rifts.

Iran as a pioneer Muslim country has always shown its sincerity to other countries especially to its neighboring states and Muslim ones, and it has always supported unity among the Muslim nations but unfortunately the governments under influence of the foreign countries have snubbed Iran’s friendship hand and it seems Pakistan this time under Imran Khan government is serious to boost its economic and security ties with Tehran and the both sides can later work on their joint gas pipeline when the sanctions  are removed.

Quereshi’s meeting with high-ranking Iranian officials bespeaks Pakistan’s approach towards ties with Iran and it seems Iran-Pakistan ties are getting into a new era.

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During the meeting on Wednesday, Rouhani pointed to the importance of cooperation with Pakistan as Iran’s Muslim neighbor,  and stressed the need to develop and deepen relations between the two countries in various fields, including economic and trade relations, as well as the development and strengthening of cross-border markets.

Referring to the U.S. decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, he said that the U.S. military presence in the region had not helped maintain security and stability.

“Iran and Pakistan, as the most important and effective neighbors of Afghanistan, must play their role in managing the peace process in this country through interaction and cooperation,” the President noted, adding, “The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes cooperation with Pakistan and Afghanistan to play its role in this regard.”

Referring to the previous agreements between the two countries in order to develop cooperation, Rouhani stressed the need to implement  the agreements.

He also announced the readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran to   meet Pakistan’s energy needs.

Qureshi, for his part, described the relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran as unique, valuable and fraternal and emphasized strengthening and consolidating these relations in all fields.

Referring to the emphasis of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on the further development of relations with Iran, he expressed hope that in the near future, bilateral relations will enter a new phase, especially in the trade and economic fields.

Appreciating Iran’s stance in support of Pakistan on regional and international issues, Qureshi declared his country’s support for the JCPOA as a major achievement of world diplomacy.

“We are very pleased that the JCPOA has been preserved through Iran’s efforts and that we are witnessing renegotiations today to revive this multilateral agreement,” the Pakistani foreign minister said.

Later yesterday, Mr. Qureshi met with Iran’s Majlis Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. During the meeting, both sides recognized the need for further strengthening bilateral ties. Foreign Minister apprised the Speaker about Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of expanding mutual cooperation between Pakistan and Iran, particularly in expanding trade and commercial activities for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries. He also highlighted the recent initiatives taken by both countries such as working to establish Border Marketplaces and opening of new border crossing points at the common border.

Being two democracies, the Foreign Minister Qureshi underlined the importance of undertaking regular exchanges of delegations between the two parliaments. He appreciated the existing collaboration between the Parliamentary Friendship Groups and noted the need to enhance coordination at international parliamentary fora such as Asian Parliamentary Assembly.

Both sides had a comprehensive exchange of views on evolving regional and International developments. The Foreign Minister apprised the Speaker about the grave human rights violations in IIOJK and appreciated the support of the Iranian leadership to the people of IIOJK.

Quereshi recalled the invitation already extended to Mr. Qalibaf by the Speaker National Assembly to visit Pakistan and expressed hope that the visit will further strengthen parliamentary cooperation between Pakistan and Iran.

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Seyed  Aghazadeh said the first online trade meeting of Iranian and Pakistani knowledge-based companies was held and said that estimates show that in case infrastructures are prepared, Iran and Pakistan can enhance their trade volume to $14b.

He went on to say that Pakistan as a friendly neighboring country has a huge capacity for increasing its trade with Iran in terms of quantity and quality that one of the grounds for cooperation is reinforcing joint cooperation due to Iran’s energy sources and production.

Seyed Aghazadeh added that Pakistan is the fourth export destination for Iran’s products among the neighboring countries and their bilateral trade has stood at $840m in the first 9 months of the current year.

He added that Iran’s exports to Pakistan in 9 months are valued at $71m and in return, its imports have been around $131m.

He went on to say that both countries can focus on barter trade and finding practical mechanisms for it.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Ambassador to Tehran Rahim Hayat Qureshi addressing the webinar expressed his country’s interest, especially Pakistan Prime Minister’s, in expanding trade and economy with Iran by using the border trade capacity and implementing existing agreements like preferential trade agreements.

He went on to say that due to restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic, using virtual space capacity for holding such webinars is a valuable opportunity and called for more support from the companies active in the field of knowledge-based and technical services.

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