TEHRAN – In a press conference at Pakistan Embassy in Tehran, Pakistan Ambassador to Iran Mohammad Mudassir Tipu said that the two countries are ready for closer ties as the recently signed barter agreement begins implementation and expands to include various sectors.
Ambassador Tipu’s question-and-answer session followed an event to commemorate ‘Kashmir Black Day’, which is celebrated annually by Kashmiris and Pakistanis around the world. On this day, October 27, 1950, Indian troops landed in Srinagar in an attempt to take control of Jammu and Kashmir, and scores of people were reportedly killed. India rejects the term “Black Day”.
In response to a question from the Tehran Times, the envoy said that Iran and Pakistan have not yet finalized the specific products that will be exchanged under the new barter agreement, noting that the agreement was signed at Tehran’s request. “This agreement is very important and important,” he said. “Both countries would particularly benefit if the private sector was involved.”
Iran and Pakistan have built close and friendly relations since Pakistan’s independence in 1947. In recent years, economic cooperation has become a central focus of talks between key figures from both countries, with both countries recognizing the immense untapped potential between their neighbors. Important steps taken recently include the opening of border markets and ongoing negotiations for a free trade agreement, which Ambassador Tipu said could be signed soon.
Iran and Pakistan have also actively expressed support for each other in times of conflict. Ambassador Tipu noted that Pakistan was the first country to unequivocally condemn Israel’s attack on Iran in June. Iran also sought assistance from Pakistan during two conflicts it faced this year. For example, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered to mediate between Pakistan and India in May, an offer that the envoy said Islamabad was willing to accept but New Delhi rejected.
Border security is another pressing issue in Tehran-Islamabad relations. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on Tuesday. His main purpose is to attend the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) ministerial meeting, but he is also expected to hold separate discussions with relevant Iranian officials.