Why it matters:
As two neighbors, Iran and Pakistan have extensive trade relations, with a significant portion of this trade taking place through free border crossings and markets.
The big picture:
The Rimdan border crossing (Rimdan-Gabd border) is a border crossing between Iran and Pakistan. The border terminal is located in Dashtiari County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, and is 120 kilometers from Chabahar. On the Pakistani side, this crossing is about 70 kilometers from Gwadar, 60 kilometers from Jiwani, 200 kilometers from Pasni, and 700 kilometers from Karachi. It is located at the end of Pakistan’s Makran Coastal Highway.
During the Iranian President's visit to Islamabad, and the negotiations between Reza Masroor, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Free and Special Economic Zones of Iran, and the Pakistani Minister of Commerce, the Secretary of the Special Economic Zones Approval Council, and the Pakistan Investment Board, the two countries reached an initial agreement on establishing a joint free zone at the Rimdan-Gabd border.
Key points:
- During this meeting, issues such as managing the joint free zone, determining the framework for tax and customs exemptions, providing vital infrastructure, and creating suitable platforms to attract both domestic and foreign investors were discussed.
- A Pakistani investment delegation and officials from Balochistan Province attended the meeting.
Latest information:
According to the plan, a delegation from the Pakistani government will visit the Rimdan border in the next two weeks to review the implementation dimensions of the project, including the size of the region, economic benefits, and cooperation model.
Go deeper:
This agreement aligns with the policies of developing regional economic cooperation and aims to strengthen cross-border trade, attract investment, and improve border infrastructure.
Hossein Amiri - ahmad shirzadian
