LAHORE: Iranian Ambassador in Pakistan Dr Reza Amiri Mughaddam on Sunday suggested that 950-km long Pakistan and Iran common borders can be turned into the economic border, which will bring economic prosperity and peace in the region.
He was talking to group of reporters after meeting with foreign affairs expert Muhammad Mehdi. On this occasion Consulate General of Iran Lahore Mehran Movahed Far and First Consul S Fallah were also present.
To a question regarding absence of the banking sector between the two countries how they can trade with each other, Reza said absence of banking channel is the biggest hurdle in the way of trade between the two countries.
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He said this hurdle should be removed. He said bureaucracy of both countries should make the visa process easy for businessmen.
He also said that Iran wants so strong trade ties with the Pakistan that Iran both has a common currency. Secondly, border can be used for trade and thirdly both countries can trade in Chinese Yuan.
Now a days Russia and Pakistan are doing trade in Yuan, he said adding that Iran and Pakistan have good relations with Russia so both countries can trade with each other in Yuan.
Iran and Pakistan can increase their trade volume by ten times. Iran’s import and export is fifty billion dollars. We don’t give and take any thing for free. We can share our experience with Pakistani leadership. Pakistan’s products can fulfil Iran’s seventy percent needs and Iranian products can fulfil Pakistan’s seventy to eighty percent needs, he said.
Pakistan can export live animals, meat, wheat and rice to Iran while Pakistan can import fuel, building materials and food products.
Iran is also producing knowledge-based products, as well as, exporting tractors to Europe. Pakistan is an agriculture country and Iran can give tractors to Pakistan, he said.
The ambassador said Iran has always tried to enhance its trade ties with neighbouring country and Pakistan is on the top of the list. Iran and Pakistan have recently opened three border markets and more sites for opening new border markets have been demarcated.
China Pakistan Economic Corridor is an important project for Pakistan and Iran can provide cheap electricity to Pakistan for these projects. We think that that due to sharing common borders transportation is easy, Reza said.
He also said Iran wants that these projects can be executed as early as possible so that economic situation of the country improves. Iran wants that common borders of the country turn into the economic border. This will bring economic prosperity and peace in the region.
Media can play an important role in enhancing religious, economic and cultural ties between the two countries, he said.
While sharing the estimates of trade volumes between the two countries, Reza said last year the trade volume between the two countries is two billion forty Crore dollars. The unofficial trade and trade of fuel are other than that.
In the last five months of this year trade volume between the two countries is more than one billion dollars, he said and hoped that by the end of this year trade volume will be more than two billion dollars as compared to the last year trade volume of two billion and forty Crore dollars.
To a question Reza said some external elements don’t want that both countries enjoy good relations. Pakistan and Iran are trying to take action against these external elements.
While answering a question regarding relation with Saudi Arabia, he said despite of the fact that during Iran and Iraq war the Arab countries supported Saddam Hussain, Iran wants good relations with all its neighbours.
He further said four to five years back Saudi Arabia disconnected its relations with Iran but Iran don’t disconnected its relations with Saudi Arabia.
Recently, Saudi Arabia restored its relations with Iran because the present leadership of Saudi Arabia thought America is not as powerful as it was before so America will not create hurdles between the relationships.
Good relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are in the interest of the region and the Islamic world, he said.
Dr Reza Amiri Mughaddam urged the Ummah to devise a joint strategy to counter Israeli aggression against innocent Palestinians. He also stated that Israel wanted to expand the ‘Zionist regime’ from the West Bank to the Euphrates.
He also feared that not only this, Israel wants to expand its territory to Iran, Pakistan and India.
He said it is the need of the hour that the Ummah should devise a joint strategy to counter Israel.
He said the western powers like the US and Britain extended open support to Israel but when a similar kind of gesture was needed from the Islamic world for Palestinians or Hamas, it was not seen.’ Iran has never accepted the Zionist regime, nor it will ever accept it,’ said the Iranian Ambassador.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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