Pak-Iran Relationship: A Prospective Study
By Professor Dr. Muhammad Khan
Historically, Pakistan and Iran have enjoyed an excellent relationship. Both brotherly states have geographical contiguity and religious affinity. Besides, there have been strong culture ties and civilizational closeness between the societies of both states. For centuries, the area now constituting Pakistan remained the hub of the Indo-Persian civilization that produced remarkable works of art, poetry, literature and great intellect.
After the creation of Pakistan, the natural affinity and closeness shared by these two neighbours was enhanced further and mutual ties of both flourished to new heights. Traditionally Pakistani frontiers with Iran have always been peaceful, safe and secure. Iran was the first country which recognized Pakistan upon its emergence as an independent country in 1947. Indeed, there have been historical linkages between the people of Pakistan and Iran. Iranian migrants and Islamic preachers had left long lasting impression on the people and civilization of Indian Sub-continent.
In the historical perspective, Iran had its security concerns arising from the expansionist designs of former Soviet Union and an uneasy relationship with Arab world, therefore, emergence of a non-Arab Muslim country (Pakistan) in its neighbourhood provided it respite and reinforced its security. Whereas, Pakistan, otherwise agonized over by Indian aggression and hostile Afghanistan, took Iran as its strategic partner and Iranian soil as its strategic depth.
Iran, indeed demonstrated this by providing all out assistance to Pakistan during 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. First Pakistani Premier Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan visited Iran in 1949 and Iranian Shah reciprocated in 1950, as the first foreign head of state. Thereafter both countries maintained their bilateral relationship in an atmosphere of Islamic brotherhood and as good neighbours, with mutual acceptability.
Pakistan along with Iran and Turkey established Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD); an inter-governmental organization for socio-economic development in the member countries in 1964. The organization was renamed as Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in 1985 and its membership increased to ten in early 1990s with the integration of Central Asian States and Afghanistan.
Following the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, Pakistan was the first country, which recognized Revolutionary Iranian Government. Besides sending a high-level delegation under Foreign Minister, then President, General Zia ul Haq visited Iran as a good will gesture in 1980 and 1981. During Iran-Iraq war, Pakistan made hectic efforts to negotiate a deal between the two Islamic countries to end the war. Pakistan also made its utmost efforts for the normalization of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.
In early 1990s, there developed minor variances between Iran and Pakistan over the interim setup in Afghanistan upon withdrawal of Soviet Union and later on the issue of the support to Taliban by Pakistan and Northern Alliance by Iran. Besides, the regional and global forces also tried to exploit their bilateral relationship on various pretexts.
Nevertheless, Pakistan continued maintaining its brotherly relations with Iran and on a number of occasions pushed it towards reconciliation and shunning the differences. Pakistan whole-heartedly supported Iranian viewpoint on the issue of its nuclear programme and maintained that Iran has the right to develop its nuclear programme within the ambit of NPT. Through a progressive reconciliation and hectic diplomacy both countries come closer to each other in last few years.
The commendable aspects of the Pak-Iran relationship are such that, even during the tense decade of 1990s, there has never been a diplomatic impasse in their bilateral relationship. In order to improve the bilateral relationship, former President General Pervaiz Musharraf visited Iran in December 1999. On that occasion, Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, declared the relationship between the countries as, “profound and unbreakable, noting the two countries’ common cultural and Islamic foundations, ——-undoubtedly, the two countries’ national interests are linked to one another and together we must strive to safeguard these interests”.
President Khatami further accentuated that both countries should be able to “neutralize divisive conspiracies” against them. Earlier in May 1998, upon Indian nuclear tests, Iran showed its concern and President Khatami in a statement said that; “We regard your security seriously and understand your position and the position of our brother, Pakistani nation. The security of Pakistan, as a brother, friendly and neighbouring state, is crucial to us. We consider their issue to be extremely important and will stand by you.”
In 2016, immediately after the tense relationship between Iran and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, then Pakistani Prime Minister, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif visited Tehran and Riyadh. Pakistani leadership tried to convince Saudi and Iranian leadership that, strained relationship and proxies would not be in the benefit of any of them and especially Muslim World.
Their mutual differences would allow the external forces to further exploit them, thus causing bilateral hatred and regional instability. It should be kept in mind that, external powers and international power play would like to keep the region instable through infighting between two major states of the Persian Gulf. While maintaining its neutrality, Pakistani leadership has tried its best to bring closer together both brotherly Muslim states.
In November, 2017 Pakistani Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Tehran and had an indepth discussion with Iranian Military leadership for the peace and stability of the region. This visit was of a greater significance for both countries, since it was undertaken after US President announced new South Asian Policy. General Bajwa also persuaded Iranian leadership to play a greater role for ‘regional solution to decades long conflict in Afghanistan.’ It is worth mentioning that, Iran issued statements in favour of Pakistan after Trump accused Islamabad on Afghan issue.
To reciprocate the visit of General Bajwa, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri along with a high powered military delegation visited Pakistan in July 2018. During the visit, the military leadership of both countries discussed issues related to; defence cooperation, border security, fighting terrorism and regional developments.
Apart from these aspects, both military heads discussed as how to deal with emerging security threats in the region. With the aim to promote better relationship, Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Iran in October 2019. The two-day visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan was very significant from the perspective of defusing regional tension between Tehran and Riyadh and for enhancing bilateral relationship between Tehran and Islamabad.
Pakistan and Iran are the prominent and leading countries of the Islamic world; therefore, both need to bridge the trust deficit, which kept their bilateral relations as hostage. For the restoration of the trust, it is a prerequisite to respect each other’s sovereignty in true sense. Besides, there is a need for to enhance the volume of trade and people to people contact. There is a 1949, ‘Treaty of Friendship to Initiate Trade Relations’, between both countries, which can be re-evaluated as per the requirements of contemporary time. In recent years, there have been many confidence-building measures (CBMs), both at the level of states and the masses.
Indeed these measures have further reinforced the Pak-Iran bilateral relationship. Strategists in both countries acknowledge that, owing to factors like religious affinity, cultural linkages, and economic compulsions, both nations cannot afford detachment from each other. In the changed strategic environment emerging from the concentration of global players in the region, Pakistan and Iran must come closer to each other for taking a common stance on issues of strategic significance, like security that impinge both with different faces.
There is a requirement that both countries should undertake steps for deeper cooperation in the field of economy and security. Signing of project like Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline despite US pressure and Indian refusal at the critical stage is a very welcoming one. Pakistan must take practical steps to complete IP. Pakistan is concerned over the US unilateral pull out from Iran’s nuclear deal. Similarly Pakistan is also concerned over US sanctions over Iran. About Afghanistan, both countries consider that, people of Afghanistan should have right to decide their future as per their own wishes.
Owing to rapid changes in the global political scenarios and regional security environment in the Middle Eastern region, there is a need that, Pakistan and Iran must strengthen their bilateral ties at all level; political, diplomatic, social and economic.
In this regards, academia, think tanks and media are some useful means which can play a very positive role in bringing Iran and Pakistan further closer to each other. Academicians and scholars must visit each other’s country more frequently. The existing level of people-to-people contact must be enhanced for the development of confidence among the masses. The platform of the ECO should be mobilized for the regional interaction, economic harmony, and overall prosperity of the region.
The author is the Professor of Politics and International Relations-IIUI
