Tehran, Islamabad to Open Third Border Crossing
2020-December-21
TEHRAN (FNA)- An official with the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) Reza Aqazadeh said that the third cross-border gateway will be opened with Pakistan by February 2021 after the second gateway was opened last week on Rimdan-Gabd border point.
Aqazadeh said that according to the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's instruction, Pishin-Mand border crossing will open between the two countries by February 2021, to increase the official border crossings to three points.
“This will considerably increase trade ties between the two countries,” he added.
“With Iran’s plan to expand border markets, the Pakistani side also has raised the establishment of six border markets by sending the text of a memorandum of understanding (MOU),” the official went on to say.
Iran and Pakistan opened a new border crossing point on Saturday, in a move set to promote trade between the two neighboring nations.
The Rimadan-Gabd border gateway was officially opened in the presence of officials from the two countries, becoming the second border crossing between the two states.
In relevant remarks on Saturday, Consul General of Iran in Quetta City of Pakistan Hassan Darvishvand hailed Tehran and Islamabad for their great efforts to broaden mutual cooperation by opening new border crossings.
"The official opening of the Rimdan-Gabd border crossing is a new step in strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries," Darvishvand said addressing the opening ceremony of the border crossing.
He went on to say that inauguration of Rimdan-Gabd crossing is an important process in development of economy of the region and indicates the strategic joint approach for strengthening bilateral ties.
"This border crossing is a memorable day in historical relations between the two countries of Iran and Pakistan," Darvishvand added.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Friday that during the recent visit of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Islamabad, the Foreign Ministers of Iran and Pakistan had agreed to open the Rimdan-Gabd border crossing between the two countries, which had already been negotiated, within a short period of time.
"Thus, with the coordination between the officials of the two countries and the relevant agencies, the Rimdan-Gabd border will be opened on Saturday as the second official border point between Iran and Pakistan in Sistan-Baluchestan province in the presence of high-ranking officials of the two countries," he added.
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman termed the opening of the border crossing a factor in increasing economic and trade exchanges between Iran and Pakistan, and said, "The establishment of this border crossing between two friendly and neighboring countries and the recent opening of the Khaf-Herat railway show that the Islamic Republic of Iran gives special priority to interaction and cooperation with its neighbors and sees close cooperation with neighboring countries as a way for growth and excellence in West Asia."
Source: https://www.farsnews.ir/en/news/13991001000715/Tehran-Islamabad-Open-Third-Brder-Crssing