Pakistan suspends trade with Iran at two official border crossings

Pakistan has suspended trade with Iran through the official Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan border crossings, with officials describing the closure as temporary and saying efforts are underway to restore normal operations.

The Ministry of Commerce issued a memorandum on Friday, withdrawing with immediate effect its earlier order dated October 3, 2017, concerning trade with Iran.

Shahid Rind, adviser to the Balochistan chief minister on media and political affairs, said the temporary closure was aimed at addressing security concerns, preventing smuggling and improving border management.

In a statement on X, Rind rejected rumours circulating on social media about the closure and urged the public to avoid unverified information.

He said the measure was necessary to improve security and administrative arrangements on both sides of the border.

Rind added that senior officials from Pakistan and Iran were continuing discussions to resolve administrative issues.

“Given the progress being made, the Pak-Iran border is likely to reopen soon,” he said, adding that a coordinated system was being developed to improve border management and prevent smuggling.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei also described the disruption as temporary, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.

However, Baqaei attributed the closure to technical issues, saying the two countries were holding consultations to resolve the problem and restore normal operations.