Pakistan clears trucks as Iran cites paperwork delays in partial border reopening

Pakistan cleared stranded freight vehicles at its border with Iran on Monday, ending a nine-day halt that began on October 17. The reopening covers the Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan crossings in Balochistan province, where customs officials are processing goods that were stopped before the security suspension. Mir Naveed Jan Kalmati, president of the Gwadar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that trade partially resumed over the weekend.

Border officials released consignments dated October 16 or earlier. Haji Noor Muhammad Shahwani, central president of the Balochistan Goods Truck Owners Association, confirmed that Pakistani exports including rice, bananas, potatoes, and retail goods are now crossing into Iran. He also noted that trucks loaded in Iran before the closure, specifically those carrying liquefied petroleum gas, are entering Pakistan slowly. Rizwan Ahmed, a customs clearing agent, said customs instructed agents to file declarations for stranded trucks to allow them to move.

Despite the physical movement of vehicles, Iranian officials claim bureaucratic hurdles remain. Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, wrote on X that Pakistan’s implementation of the E-Form procedure for imports is preventing traders from dispatching cargo. He stated that Iran placed no restrictions on exports and that its borders remained open. A Commerce Ministry memorandum dated October 16 withdrew a previous waiver for these electronic forms, which are used to record imports and bank payments.

The initial closure followed a security crackdown in Balochistan. Gunmen attacked trucks near the Gabd crossing on Thursday, leading the military to kill 10 attackers and one civilian in operations around Gabd and Gwadar. Balochistan recorded 131 armed attacks in September, the highest monthly national total in 12 years according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry attributed the closure to a deteriorating security situation, while Iranian officials cited technical issues.

Analysts suggest the United States’ economic pressure on Iran may have influenced the decision. Imtiaz Baloch, a security analyst, said the US policy of maximum pressure could impact the border directly through government orders or indirectly through banking channels. Pakistan has mediated between Washington and Tehran since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28. The US naval blockade of Iranian ports has already impacted energy supplies, causing LPG shortages and price spikes in Pakistan.

Consultations between the two countries are currently under way. Iranian envoy Moghadam reported that several hundred LPG trucks have crossed into Gabd but have not yet been unloaded or cleared. Shahwani suggested the delay might stem from banking issues related to international trade. Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce did not respond to requests for comment regarding the current status of the crossings.

The next step involves resolving the electronic documentation dispute. Customs agents are continuing to file declarations for remaining vehicles while officials negotiate the application of the E-Form. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Sajjad Haider Khan, said on Friday that Pakistan adheres to all applicable sanctions regimes but did not specify whether the US pressured the closure.