Iran has expressed strong interest in joining the China-Pakistan-led Silk Road initiative, aiming to enhance maritime and land-based connectivity across the region. The development came during a high-level meeting in Islamabad, where Iranian Minister for Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, joined Pakistani ministers to explore expanded cooperation in trade, transport, and infrastructure.
The discussions were held alongside Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s official visit to Pakistan and included Federal Ministers Abdul Aleem Khan (Communications), Jam Kamal Khan (Commerce), and Hanif Abbasi (Railways). Both sides agreed on the need to strengthen regional integration by aligning strategic projects such as the Gwadar-Chabahar maritime route and the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) railway corridor.
Sadegh underscored the urgency of increasing cross-border transport and proposed modernizing the Quetta-Zahedan route, a vital land connection between the two nations. In response, Pakistan’s Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan proposed forming bilateral working groups to fast-track implementation of all joint projects.
Highlighting shared goals, Aleem Khan praised Iran’s firm stance against Israeli aggression, calling it a symbol of unity across the Muslim world. He emphasized that Pakistan and Iran have consistently supported each other and that current regional dynamics are drawing both nations even closer.
Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan briefed the Iranian side on trade opportunities, pointing to untapped potential across various sectors. He stressed that Pakistan and Iran could serve as strong markets for each other with increased trade facilitation.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to upgrading the ITI rail corridor and expanding the Quetta-Zahedan railway line to reinforce connectivity with Iran and beyond.
Iranian Minister Sadegh, in turn, welcomed Pakistan’s proposals and extended Iran’s full cooperation. She described her visit as warm and memorable, expressing optimism for more structured and meaningful economic ties in the future.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Abdul Aleem Khan invited the Iranian minister to attend a major regional ministerial conference to be hosted by Pakistan on October 23–24, featuring participation from 20 countries. Sadegh expressed her appreciation and extended goodwill to the people of Pakistan.
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