Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan And Iranian Industry Minister Mohammad Atabak Co-Chair Two-Day Meeting As 22 Iranian Officials And 16-Member Business Delegation Arrive For Talks
According to Dawn, Pakistan and Iran are holding the 10th session of the Pakistan-Iran Joint Trade Committee (JTC) in Islamabad from August 3–5, 2026, co-chaired by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Atabak with both sides reaffirming their commitment to expanding bilateral trade to $10 billion.
An Iranian delegation of 22 officials arrived in Islamabad alongside a 16-member business contingent led by the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, representing sectors including food, agriculture, logistics, shipping, energy and manufacturing.
Atabak called Pakistan a “long-term strategic trading partner” and expressed Tehran’s desire to expand logistics cooperation through Karachi and Gwadar ports. He also expressed hope for early conclusion of the Pakistan-Iran Free Trade Agreement.
The meeting follows a series of measures implemented since March 2026, including easing customs procedures, formalising Taftan as a customs station, notifying new transit routes, and permitting exporters to ship food and pharmaceutical products to Iran via land routes without mandatory banking instruments; all driven by the disruption to maritime trade caused by the US-Iran war and the Gulf crisis.
The JTC meeting also discussed the revival of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul freight train service and expansion of railway cooperation under the 1959 bilateral agreement.
The Gulf is closed. The overland route is open. Pakistan and Iran are building the economic relationship the sea route can no longer sustain.
Check out our previous coverage of Pakistan’s economy on The Trusted Times.
