TEHRAN,Iran, May 4
Trend:
Iran and Pakistan trade ties are currently limited to food items, but there are promises that borders would open, head of Iran and Pakistan Chamber of Commerce Mahmoud Tohidast told Trend.
"All borders with Pakistan have closed by the time coronavirus started spreading, and the only open border is for transportation of food items," he said.
"Taftan border crossing is the main border, and it is still closed, but there have been promises that it will be open this week," he said.
"If Taftan border opens, food items will be in priority in trade turnover," he added.
"Iran's trades with Pakistan basically at the border markets, and due to coronavirus spread, factories and transportation system in Pakistan are not active. This affects transportation from Iran as well," said Tohidast.
"Following the coronavirus spread, many Iranian trucks got stuck in Pakistan, while some have returned to Iran thanks to cooperation of the officials," he said.
"The coronavirus has affected our trade ties, and the closed border is not the only issue. Iran can not import goods to its customs border, because of the inactivity of the transportation system," he added.
"Pakistan imports various types of goods from Iran, especially oil products and food, while Iran imports rice, livestock, fruit and textile items from Pakistan," he said.
"Some other countries also re-export their products to Iran via Pakistan, although the trade balance is more in favor of Iran, since it sells oil products, including paraffin and asphalt, construction materials such as tiles, ceramics and cement," he said.
"Pakistan is a highly-populated country and there is a potential market for Iranian goods, " he said.