ISLAMABAD: The recent visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Pakistan represents a significant milestone in the bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries. The visit is part of the joint efforts by Islamabad and Tehran to mend ties that were briefly strained in January 2024.
President Raisi’s visit holds immense strategic importance, with a specific focus on enhancing infrastructure development and trade. Additionally, it aims to strengthen regional connectivity and explore opportunities within the framework of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Experts from both Pakistan and Iran consider these recent efforts crucial for strengthening bilateral ties and believe they have the potential to promote regional peace and development in the years ahead.
Highlighting a significant aspect of President Raisi’s visit, Khalid Taimur Akram, an expert on regional affairs and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) told Gwadar Pro that Iran’s proposal for a special trade route partnership between Pakistan’s Gwadar Port and Iran’s Chahbahar Port aims to not only enhance bilateral trade but also foster regional cooperation and strengthen ties among regional countries under the umbrella of CPEC.
Chahbahar Port serves as Iran’s sole deep-sea port with direct access to the ocean, and Pakistan’s Gwadar Port has long been envisioned as a pivotal hub for regional connectivity under CPEC.
Both ports hold immense significance in facilitating trade routes linking Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.
He said, the proposed trade route partnership between Gwadar and Chahbahar ports will open up new avenues for economic growth and cooperation in the region and also contribute to China’s broader vision of regional connectivity.
He believed that the deepening of China’s ties with Iran and regional countries presents a lot of opportunities, particularly in accessing vital natural resources and shipping routes.
The economic developments at the Gwadar-Chabahar ports promise to forge new diplomatic and economic alliances, enhancing China’s trade prospects with Iran. Chabahar port stands poised to transform trade dynamics in South and Central Asia under China’s BRI, fostering immense economic growth and facilitating smoother trade flows between China and a wider region, he said. –Agencies
