TEHRAN: Pakistan and Iran have signed a series of agreements aimed at boosting bilateral trade and enhancing cooperation in the agriculture sector.
The agreements were finalised during the visit of the Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, to Iran, an official statement said on Monday. The Minister also led the Pakistani delegation at a high-level ministerial meeting held in Tehran.
The meeting was co-chaired by his Iranian counterpart, Gholamreza Nourozi, and attended by senior representatives of key ministries, research institutions, and trade authorities from both countries.
Speaking after the meeting, the Minister stated that Iran has agreed to import substantial quantities of rice from Pakistan and has also committed to removing barriers to Pakistani mango exports.
He added that Iran has given assurances to address issues related to mango import permits and foreign exchange transactions.
Furthermore, the Minister noted that Iran has shown interest in sourcing 60 percent of its meat imports from Pakistan, along with plans to import Pakistani corn.
According to the statement, Iran agreed to import large volumes of maize from Pakistan, with a commitment to resolve technical and procedural issues on priority and within the shortest possible time.
“Recognising the need for science-driven solutions in agriculture, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation between the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and Iranian research institutions,” it said.
The Minister further secured consensus on a wide range of facilitation measures aimed at easing agricultural trade. These included the establishment of warehouses and cold chain systems, and improvements in border infrastructure to ensure perishable commodities reach markets efficiently and in prime quality.
Both countries also reaffirmed their commitment to move forward towards a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), providing a long-term framework for expanding bilateral agricultural trade.
“To ensure that these historic decisions are implemented effectively, a Joint Committee on Agricultural Cooperation was formally established. The Committee will meet every six months to review progress, resolve emerging issues, and maintain the momentum of cooperation,” said the statement.
Earlier this month, during the visit of Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian to Pakistan, the two countries signed and exchanged 12 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
The agreements included collaboration on plant protection and quarantine, joint use of the Mirjaveh-Taftan border crossing, and cooperation in science, technology, and innovation.
Additional MoUs covered information and communications technology, cultural and youth exchange programmes, tourism, arts, mass media, and export promotion.
Other areas of cooperation included meteorology, climatology, and disaster-related hazards, as well as maritime safety and firefighting.
The two sides also signed agreements on judicial assistance in criminal matters, a supplemental MoU linked to a 2013 air services agreement, mutual recognition of product certification, inspection and testing procedures, and a tourism cooperation plan for 2025–2027.
Moreover, a joint ministerial statement was issued expressing both countries’ intent to finalise a Free Trade Agreement in the near future.
