Tehran - Saba:
Iran and Pakistan reached a preliminary agreement on the establishment of a joint free zone on the Rimdan-Ghabd border during talks between Reza Masrour, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Free and Special Economic Zones in Iran, and his Pakistani counterpart, Ms. Iqbal, on the sidelines of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Pakistan.
Iranian News Agency (IRNA) reported that this agreement is in line with policies to develop regional economic cooperation and aims to promote cross-border trade, attract investments, and improve border infrastructure. The Ramdan Border Crossing (Ramdan-Ghabd Border) is a border crossing between Iran and Pakistan. This border crossing is located in Dashtiari County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, southeastern Iran, 120 kilometers from Chabahar. On the Pakistani side, this crossing is approximately 70 kilometers from Gwadar, 60 kilometers from Jiwani, 200 kilometers from Pasni, and 700 kilometers from Karachi. It is located at the end of the Makran Coastal Highway in Pakistan.
According to the plan, a Pakistani government delegation will visit the Ramdan Border Crossing within the next two weeks to review the project's implementation dimensions, including the area's size, economic benefits, and cooperation model.
The meeting discussed issues such as how to manage the joint free zone, defining the framework for tax and customs exemptions, providing vital infrastructure, and creating suitable platforms to attract local and foreign investors. During his meeting with Ms. Iqbal, Secretary of the Special Economic Zones Approval Board and the Pakistan Investment Board, and officials from Balochistan Province who attended the meeting online, the Secretary of the Supreme Council of Free and Special Economic Zones of Iran stated, "The policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Dr. Pezeshkian is to strengthen relations with neighboring countries based on the Neighborhood Policy."
Masrour added, "The deep cultural, religious, and civilizational ties between the two countries provide the basis for cooperation between the two countries and peoples in all fields. However, there are many untapped potentials for developing cooperation between Iran and Pakistan, one of which is in the field of joint free zones and extraterritorial agriculture, which we hope will bear fruit through joint efforts."
He emphasized the pursuit of legal paths to implement this plan within the decision-making structures of the two countries, saying, "After the completion of the cooperation document, the establishment of this free zone will require approval from Iran's cabinet and then through legal procedures in the Islamic Consultative Assembly."
For her part, Ms. Iqbal emphasized during this meeting the determination of the Pakistani government and the Balochistan provincial authorities to develop economic relations with Iran, particularly through the joint free zone. As the sixth generation of free zones in the country, this zone is part of the strategic transformation plan for free zones, supported and emphasized by the Presidency of the Republic and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
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