Double-crossing US? Pakistan opens six land routes for Iran amid Hormuz closure
PTC News Desk: Donald Trump’s naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz has badly affected Iran’s trade. Ships linked to Iran have been attacked or stopped, cutting off important supplies and limiting its access to global markets.
Now, Pakistan has found a way around this by opening six major land trade routes. These routes allow goods to be transported into Iran by road, offering an alternative to sea transport.
This step was taken as more than 3,000 containers meant for Iran got stuck at Pakistani ports like Karachi Port and Port Qasim due to rising tensions and restrictions in the Gulf region. Now, these goods are being sent through land routes instead. The decision, effective from April 25, is meant to clear congestion at the ports.
The designated routes create a land bridge between Pakistan’s deep-sea ports and the Iranian border, offering a lifeline for third-country goods that can no longer reach Iran by sea.
The six designated transit routes include:
Gwadar to Gabd: The shortest route, expected to reduce transit time by up to 87 per cent.
Karachi/Port Qasim – Lyari – Ormara – Pasni – Gabd
Karachi/Port Qasim – Khuzdar – Dalbandin – Taftan
Gwadar – Turbat – Panjgur – Quetta – Taftan
Gwadar – Lyari – Khuzdar – Quetta – Taftan
Karachi/Port Qasim – Gwadar – Gabd
The situation in the Strait of Hormuz has been unstable, especially since tensions between the US and Iran increased in February 2026. This route usually carries about 20% of the world’s oil, but it has faced repeated shutdowns. On April 18, Iran completely closed the strait and warned that any ship passing through would be seen as supporting its enemies.
With sea transport becoming risky and expensive, land routes through Pakistan’s Balochistan region are currently the only practical option for Iran to receive goods.
- With inputs from agencies
