TEHRAN, Dec 22: The existing level of trade between Pakistan and Iran at around $400 million is not matching the real potential and excellent relations between the two neighbours.
This was stated in a meeting held between Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran Iqbal Ahmad Khan and Iranian Commerce Minister Muhammad Shariatmadari. The two sides agreed to enhance the volume of two-way trade.
They expressed satisfaction on the conclusion of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Pakistan and Iran in March this year and the progress made on the annexure to the PTA that contained the list of goods on which tariffs were required to be reduced.
They expressed the hope that all formalities for the export of agriculture products from Pakistan to Iran would be completed soon. The ambassador reiterated the invitation extended to the Iranian commerce minister by the Pakistani commerce minister to lead a delegation to the first-ever Expo Pakistan 2005 being held in Karachi on February 2-5, 2005.
He informed the minister that over 400 top manufacturers and business houses from Pakistan would display a wide range of quality products and services at the exhibition and said that the visit by the minister and Iranian businessmen to the fair would help give the urgently-needed boost to Pakistan-Iran commercial ties. -APP
