PAKISTAN and Iran have reaffirmed their commitment to expand bilateral trade to $10 billion, reflecting the growing momentum in a relationship rooted in history, geography and shared cultural and religious affinities. The Joint Trade Committee meeting aptly reflected this positive momentum, with both sides reiterating their commitment to deepen trade, investment, connectivity and private-sector collaboration. Equally significant was Tehran’s interest in expanding regional trade and logistics cooperation through the ports of Karachi and Gwadar, underscoring the strategic importance of Pakistan’s maritime infrastructure as well as reinforces Pakistan’s position as a regional trade and transshipment hub. Recent initiatives to operationalize border markets and streamline cross-border trade are expected to formalize commerce while improving the livelihoods of local communities. Equally important is the eventual lifting of sanctions on Iran, which would unlock far greater opportunities for bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors.