Pakistan’s imports from Iran rose 17 percent year-on-year to $248 million during the first two months of the current fiscal year, extending a multi-year upward trend in bilateral trade despite persistent regional uncertainty.

The Numbers Behind the Growth

Imports from Iran stood at $212 million during the July-August period of the previous fiscal year, meaning the latest figure represents a $36 million increase over the same window a year earlier. This builds on an already established pattern: total imports from Iran reached $1.395 billion in fiscal year 2025-26, up 12 percent from $1.241 billion in fiscal year 2024-25, and $1.037 billion in fiscal year 2023-24. Taken together, these figures show imports have grown almost continuously over the past six years, roughly doubling since fiscal year 2020-21.

Why the Trend Is Notable

The rise comes despite ongoing regional uncertainty tied to the broader Gulf situation, including tensions from the US-Israel conflict involving Iran, a backdrop against which trade relationships often face disruption. Pakistan and Iran share a long border and have historically maintained trade ties, including formal and informal cross-border commerce, particularly in Balochistan, and the steady rise in officially recorded imports may partly reflect formalization of previously informal trade channels. Whether the trend continues at the same pace through the rest of FY27 will likely depend on how the broader Gulf conflict evolves and what effect it has on regional trade routes and pricing.