Islamabad, October 26, 2025 – The Europe Today: Iran’s Minister for Roads and Urban Development, Farzaneh Sadegh, held comprehensive discussions with senior Pakistani officials in Islamabad to explore new avenues for cooperation in the blue economy, focusing on strengthening road, railway, and maritime connectivity between the two neighboring countries.
Sadegh, who is visiting Islamabad to attend a two-day conference of regional transport ministers, met with Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, on the sidelines of the event on Saturday.
During the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of enhancing regional connectivity to boost trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges. They discussed initiatives to facilitate maritime trade, develop port infrastructure, and improve logistical routes linking Pakistan and Iran through sea, land, and rail networks.
Minister Chaudhry proposed launching a ferry service between Pakistan and Iran, noting that it would not only enhance bilateral trade but also offer a cost-effective travel option for pilgrims visiting Iran and Iraq. “Over 60,000 Pakistanis participated in the Arba’een pilgrimage by air in 2025,” Chaudhry said, adding that “a ferry service could potentially multiply those numbers several times,” highlighting that Iran’s lower fuel prices could help maintain affordable fares.
Welcoming the proposal, Minister Sadegh described the ports of both countries as vital assets for strengthening regional trade and connectivity. She also underscored the importance of exploring new trade routes in the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, stating, “By improving maritime and transport connectivity, we can open new horizons for regional trade and economic prosperity.”
On the second day of her visit, Sadegh also participated in a joint session with Pakistan’s Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal, and Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi.
The two sides agreed to develop an action plan to enhance cooperation in the railway sector, including the modernization of the Quetta–Taftan line by next year.
Referring to the recent 22nd meeting of the Iran-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission held in Tehran, Sadegh stressed the importance of implementing bilateral agreements to expand economic and infrastructure cooperation between the two countries.
