Iran Threatens to Close Pakistan Border Over Blocked Truck Traffic

TEHRAN, Oct 22: Iran could close its land border with Pakistan if Islamabad continues to prevent Iranian trucks from entering the country, the head of the Iran-Pakistan parliamentary friendship group said on Thursday.

Fadahossein Maleki, a member of Iran’s parliament and a member of its national security and foreign policy committee, said trucks travelling from Pakistan were allowed to enter Iran, while traffic in the opposite direction remained blocked.

Maleki said he had asked Pakistan’s ambassador, along with provincial officials, to attend parliament to discuss the issue and seek a resolution.

According to Maleki, Pakistan had attributed the restrictions to a “technical problem.”

However, the Iranian lawmaker blamed US pressure for the restrictions and expressed disappointment with what he described as Islamabad’s response.

“We did not expect this from our Pakistani friends, and did not expect them to come under the influence of American pressure,” Maleki said.

His warning raises the possibility of further disruption to cross-border trade between the neighbouring countries if the dispute over truck movements remains unresolved.

No response from Pakistani authorities was included in the report.