“Strategic trade base”: Kurdistan pushes for free zone with Iran

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, officials from the Kurdistan Region and western Iranian provinces proposed establishing a joint free zone at the Bashmakh border crossing to expand economic cooperation.

The plan was discussed during a two-day forum in Iran’s Kurdish city of Sanandaj, where participants addressed regulatory obstacles and explored mechanisms to enhance cross-border commerce.

Part of the Kurdish delegation, Nawzad Ghafour, president of the al-Sulaymaniyah Chamber of Commerce, recommended forming a standing committee to address trade logistics, describing the proposed zone as a “strategic base” for commercial exchange.

He also emphasized investment opportunities in the Kurdistan Region, particularly in manufacturing and services, and welcomed greater economic engagement from Iranian firms.

The meeting followed Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani’s recent visit to Tehran, where he held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on regional cooperation.