Speaking at the Iran-Pakistan Business Forum hosted by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Atabak thanked Pakistan for its “brotherly support” during the US-Israeli-imposed war against Iran. He said the war has disrupted Iranian imports and exports through the country’s southern ports, forcing Tehran to rely more heavily on its eastern border crossings with Pakistan. Atabak said the main concern was that these alternative trade routes could be neglected once conditions at the southern ports normalized. He said Iran should continue investing in eastern transport and border infrastructure to ensure the crossings reached their full economic potential. He said expanding investment should become a priority for both countries, allowing border regions to develop into long-term commercial and logistics hubs rather than temporary alternatives during periods of disruption. Atif Ikram Sheikh, president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, for his part, said Pakistan’s government and private sector believed the country offered significant investment opportunities for Iranian companies. He cited Pakistan’s young workforce, transport links and infrastructure as areas suited to joint investment, adding that Iran’s industrial expertise and technical capabilities made it a suitable partner for meeting Pakistan’s development needs. Sheikh called on the governments of both countries to create the conditions needed for private businesses to invest and turn available resources into productive economic assets.