Iran and Pakistan Target $10 Billion Trade Despite Sanctions Impasse

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set an ambitious $10 billion bilateral trade target during a two-day state visit in August 2025. Current trade runs far below that level, blocked by U.S. sanctions on Iran and banking connectivity gaps. The target implies either a major sanctions workaround or a bet on relief that hadn't materialized at the time of the visit.