Iran Air has resumed flights between Quetta and Zahedan after a temporary suspension, restoring a direct connection for traders and passengers.
The service gives Balochistan’s business community another travel option as Pakistani and Iranian trade representatives pursue closer commercial ties.
Local reports said the returning flight carried more than 80 passengers from Quetta to Zahedan. The airline had suspended the service amid the prevailing international situation.
However, accounts differ on the flight’s timing. The supplied report places the arrival on Tuesday and identifies the incoming service as IRA 0827.
Flightradar24 records show flight IR826 arriving from Zahedan on Wednesday, October 14, followed by the outbound IR827 service. The tracker identifies the aircraft as an Iran Air Airbus A320.
Business representatives discuss stronger trade ties
The restored connection coincided with discussions between Zahedan Chamber of Commerce President Haji Hakim Regi and members of Quetta’s business community.
They examined ways to expand bilateral trade, develop commercial partnerships and improve cooperation between traders in the neighbouring countries.
Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry representatives welcomed the visiting Iranian delegation at the airport. Local reporting identified Jangiyan Baloch, Sardar Ayub Marriani and Jumma Khan Badizai among those present.
Quetta Airport Manager Khalid Kakar and other officials also attended the reception. Business representatives welcomed the service as an opportunity to strengthen commercial contacts and facilitate passenger movement.
Earlier launch connected Quetta with Iranian cities
Iran Air’s route links Quetta with Zahedan and the wider Mashhad network. Balochistan Governor Jafar Khan Mandokhail attended the original inauguration.
Although the latest reports cite December 2025, contemporaneous official coverage records the inauguration in October that year.
Associated Press of Pakistan reported on October 30, 2025, that flight 826 had arrived the previous night. An Airbus A319 operated that inaugural Mashhad-Zahedan-Quetta service.
Airport authorities welcomed the aircraft with a water cannon salute. The governor attended a ceremony alongside Iran’s consul general and aviation, diplomatic and business representatives.
At the time, Mandokhail described the launch as a “significant milestone” for bilateral ties, trade and cultural exchange.
Connectivity supports a wider trade agenda
The flight resumption comes against a broader push to increase Pakistan-Iran commerce.
In August 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed a target of raising bilateral trade to $10 billion.
Their Islamabad discussions covered barter trade, border markets and larger export quotas for rice, fruit and meat. They also agreed to deepen cooperation in connectivity, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
For traders in Balochistan, the restored air service provides a practical link for meetings and commercial visits. Its immediate significance lies in reopening passenger access between Quetta and Zahedan while business groups work on expanding cross-border cooperation.
