Iran, Pakistan to open one more border gateway: Official

Director General for Asia-Pacific Department of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPO) Reza Aghazadeh said that the third cross-border gateway with Pakistan will open until February 2021 after the second gateway opened last week on Rimadan-Gabd border point.

Aghazadeh added that according to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan's instruction, Pishin-Mand border crossing will open between the two countries by February 2021, and the official border crossings will reach three points.

This has a considerable impact on increasing trade ties between the two countries, Aghazadeh added.

In addition, with iran's offer to expand border markets, the Pakistani side also has raised the establishment of six border markets by sending the text of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), he added.

Iran and Pakistan on Saturday opened a new border crossing point, in a move set to bolster trade between the two neighboring countries.
The Rimadan-Gabd border gateway was officially thrown open in the presence of officials from the two countries, becoming the second border crossing between the two states.

Located in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan province, about 130 km from the strategic Chabahar port, the Rimadan crossing point is suitably located for import and export of goods between the two countries.

The border crossing is located only 22 km north of the Sea of Oman, while Pakistan’s southern port of Gwadar is around 60 km off the crossing.

The new border gateway is expected to lessen the burden on Mirjavah-Taftan crossing point.
Mirjavah-Taftan is the first official border crossing point for trade and public movement between the two sides,  Mirjavah is a city in Sistan and Baluchestan Province in Iran.
In June last year, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Balochistan, Pakistan, to discuss the issues facing trade between the two countries, including trade activities at the land border, with Pakistani parties and Balochistan trade and business stakeholders.

Most of the trade between Iran and Pakistan is done through the land route leading to the Mirjavah border crossing (Taftan), and in between the residents of Sistan and Baluchestan region of Iran and the province of Balochistan Pakistan.