A total of $131.47 million tons of goods were exported from the southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province to the neighboring Pakistan during the first three month of the current Iranian year (March 20-June 20) to register a 26% rise compared with the similar period of last year.
According to Davoud Shahraki, the head of Sistan-Baluchestan Trade Promotion Organization, exports to Pakistan accounted for 36% of the province’s total exports in Q1 ($369.35 million).
Mirjaveh was the busiest border crossing for trade during the period under review, from which $78 million worth of commodities were exported, registering an 18% year-on-year increase, ILNA reported.
The official noted that Sistan-Baluchestan exported a total of $528 million worth of goods in the last fiscal year (March 2019-20),with more than $338.88 million exported from Mirjaveh border crossing.
The main exported commodities from Mirjaveh included tiles, ceramic, cement, agricultural products, oil derivatives and petrochemicals.
A total of $162 million worth of goods were imported into Sistan-Baluchestan in the last fiscal year.
Sistan-Baluchestan is the only Iranian province that shares borders with Pakistan. There are five border crossings between the two countries, namely Mirjaveh, Jaleq, Kuhak, Pishin and Rimdan.
Spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration Rouhollah Latifi said last week that all land border crossings with Pakistan were active.
"However, restrictions are still in place for the export of hydrocarbon products to Pakistan through Mirjaveh border crossing," he had said, adding that 150 trucks loaded with hydrocarbon products are waiting for the Islamabad government’s permission to enter Pakistan.
Based on earlier reports, Pishin border crossing, a gateway to neighboring Pakistan, reopened on May 2.
The border crossing, which is located in the southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province, is now open for trading food products every other day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, Mehr News Agency reported in May.
A maximum of 20 trucks and 40-50 pickup and mini trucks are allowed to pass through.
The IRICA spokesman said Rimdan border crossing, also on the Iran-Pakistan frontier in Sistan-Baluchestan Province, is open.
Pakistan first closed its eastern and western borders with Iran, Afghanistan and India on March 15 to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.
Trade activities between Pakistan and Iran have been suspended, as Iranian authorities closed the joint trade crossing and market on Taftan and Mirjaveh border crossings in connection with Eid al-Adha holidays.
According to official sources, the Zero Point Gate was closed, while business activities were also halted in joint market on both sides of the joint border.
According to Levies Force officials, trade activities would remain closed for at least a week during and after Eid days, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported on Friday.
