Pakistan-Iran relations under Imran Khan's regime

[SecondSlip]

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will soon make a maiden visit to Tehran, which observers see as part of Pakistan’s efforts to maintain a delicate balance in its ties with Iran and Saudi Arabia.

“The visit is expected to take place this month as dates are being worked out,” a senior Foreign Office official told The Express Tribune on Tuesday.

The visit has been due since Imran took over as prime minister in August last year.
However, apparent tensions triggered by border incidents and a militant attack targeting the Iranian Revolutionary guards in February prevented the two sides from finalising the visit.

The friction has eased in recent weeks after Pakistan recovered the abducted Iranian border guards as well as assurance given by Prime Minister Imran to Iranian President Hassan Rowhani that Islamabad would not allow its soil to be used against the neighbouring country.

In a recent interaction with a group of journalists, Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Honardost also confirmed the easing of tensions as the two sides agreed not to allow ‘third parties’ to undermine their longstanding relationship.

During his visit to Tehran, Imran will hold formal talks with the Iranian president and also meet the Supreme Leader Ayatullah Khamenei.

The visit is seen as crucial as it comes against the backdrop of a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Ben Salman to Islamabad in February.

Relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia has seen unprecedented warmth since the change of government in Islamabad with the prime minister making back to back visits to Riyadh soon after taking charge.

The flurry of visits culminated with Saudi Arabia agreeing to give a bailout package for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government to help it deal with the worsening economic crises.

Not only that but Saudi Arabia’s close ally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), also extended a similar financial facility to Pakistan.

But there have been concerns that in return for the ‘generous support’ Pakistan may join the anti-Iran camp. Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been running high for years because of their competing strategic interests in the Middle East and beyond.

Pakistan; however, always tried to stay away from the Iran-Arab rivalry. Because of the same reason, the previous government led by Nawaz Sharif refused to become part of the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen against Houthi rebels backed by Iran.

Officials here said while Pakistan may have “strategic relationship” with Saudi Arabia, at the same time it “considers Iran as an important neighboring country”.

“Our close ties with Riyadh do not mean we will become part of any initiative that undermines Iran,” commented another official, adding that both Iran and Saudi Arabia “understand Pakistan’s approach”.

In the past, Pakistan tried to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia but all those diplomatic efforts failed to achieve the desired results.

Officials familiar with the agenda of the prime minister’s upcoming visit said Imran would reiterate Pakistan’s offer and call for unity among all the Muslim countries to deal with common challenges.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1947107/1-balancing-act-pm-visit-iran/

 

[Adijazz1706]

Good move

 

[Syed1]

Iran had negative growth rate last year.... Best time to get some concessions from them regarding pipe lines.

 

[Adijazz1706]

Iran had negative growth rate last year.... Best time to get some concessions from them regarding pipe lines.

Rather callous attitude that, they're under sanctions so are bound to struggle economically. Iran, Iraq and Turkey have historically been the Islamic power centres which is why Israel and the US have been working against them
. m

 

[Syed1]

Rather callous attitude that, they're under sanctions so are bound to struggle economically. Iran, Iraq and Turkey have historically been the Islamic power centres which is why Israel and the US have been working against them
. m

Forgive me for not being giddy about good relations with Iran.


Indian Kulbushun was entering and leaving Pak from Iran.

 

[KB]

Two points here: first, this ‘balancing act’ between Iran and Saudi Arabia represents a long-standing policy and secondly it could be argued that given the difficult geo-political context, the Pakistani state has achieved relative success in striking a delicate balance between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The first head of state to visit Pakistan was the Shah of Iran. Lacking strategic depth and confronted by difficult relationships with India and Afghanistan from the outset, the fledgling Pakistan state sought cordial relations with Iran to provide some relief on its borders. Iran in the 1950s, too, perceived its security as linked to Pakistan’s stability, viewing the newly formed state as a useful buffer against Soviet interests in the region. The fact that both nations at this time were closely aligned with western powers also helped cement the relationship. At this time Saudi Arabia was not a significant factor in the minds of Pakistan state officials.

This began to change towards the end of the Ayub regime. In 1967, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan reached agreement to work on defence cooperation, and for Pakistanis to provide some training to Saudi military personnel. But it was really under Bhutto in the 1970s that the relationship strengthened in important ways. Following the secession of the Eastern wing, Pakistan had to seek new markets and restructure its trade and one market that Pakistan sought to develop was West Asia. Closer diplomatic ties with the Arab world also facilitated the inflow of Libyan and Saudi money which was ultimately crucial for the nuclear programme. It is also in this period that significant opportunities for labour migration presented itself. In time such remittances from Pakistan's ‘manpower’ exports, would - and in fact still is - a crucial component of the Pakistani economy with important implications. Notably, Iran is not a key destination for Pakistani labour.

At the same time Bhutto was careful not to upset the Iranians. As Bhutto told Kissinger, “Iran is our neighbor. Saudi Arabia is far away.” Iran assisted Pakistan in overcoming the Baluch insurgency in 1975. Iran itself feared that a successful insurgency in Pakistan could encourage separatism amongst Iran’s population of Baloch. In the end Bhutto was able to extract aid from both Saudi Arabia and Iran.

In the Zia years, Pakistan maintained a pragmatic stance. This was despite the strains engendered by the first Afghan war and the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Both events seemed to tilt Pakistan closer to Saudi interests. Ayatollah Khomeini sought to export the revolution and took a more interventionist stance on Pakistani Shi’a interests. The Pakistan government were aware that Iranian students played a role in the riots against compulsory zakat collections. The Afghan war also tightened the nexus of interests between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The latter provided vast sums of financial assistance to the mujahideen. In return, Pakistan agreed to station 20,000 soldiers to protect the Kingdom, although all expenses were to be footed by Saudi Arabia. In addition, remittances from West Asia, in particular Saudi Arabia, were huge in the 1980s and helped stabilise the Pakistan economy. Yet, Pakistan was still careful not to antagonise Iran and refused to support Iraq in its war with Iran between 1980 and 1988.

In the 1990s, the relationship with Iran did cool, as Pakistan opted to support the Taliban in Afghanistan, whereas Iran saw its interests as best secured through the Northern Alliance.

Today, with Iran and Saudi fighting its proxy war in their bid for West Asian hegemony, Pakistan continues to do its best to strike a delicate balance. Such a stance is shaped by a number of considerations. Strategically, Pakistan seeks to avoid encirclement: antagonising Iran could push it to join a hostile alliance with India and Afghanistan. Domestically, with a significant Shi’a minority, Pakistan has no appetite to be sucked into conflict which could give rise to sectarian violence on a destabilising scale and potentially weaken the unity of the military forces. Economically, remittances from the Middle East (and it is from Saudi that most remittances derive from), as well as imports of crude oil (Saudi is the key supplier) and natural gas (here Qatar is the most significant trading partner) also shape thinking on the matter in Pakistan.

 

[PakLFC]

We need to improve our relationship with Iran. Also have to tell them to stop their cheap threats or they will also receive a bloody nose.

 

[MenInG]

Prime Minister Imran Khan met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the Presidential Palace in Tehran on Monday during a two-day official visit to Iran.

During their meeting, Prime Minister Imran and President Rouhani discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and ways to further ties in diverse fields, Radio Pakistan reported.


Earlier today, the prime minister arrived at the Presidential Palace where he was received by the Iranian president. The national anthems of both countries were played during the welcoming ceremony, after which Prime Minister Imran inspected a guard of honour.

PM Imran Khan is visiting Iran in a bid to strengthen 'trust' between the two neighbouring countries on the invitation of President Rouhani.

He is expected to meet Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Khamenei and other top government functionaries today.

The premier reached Iran on Sunday and paid his respects at the shrine of Imam Raza during a brief stopover in Mashhad. He also met the leadership of the Khorasan-i-Razavi province, and told them that maintaining good relations with neighbours was the cornerstone of his government policy.

The premier is accompanied by two ministers, an adviser and three special assistants holding portfolios of human rights, maritime affairs, commerce, overseas Pakistanis, health services, and petroleum.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari, Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Adviser to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant to PM on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Special Assistant to PM on National Health Services Dr Zafarullah Mirza and Special Assistant to PM on Petroleum Nadeem Baber are all a part of the Pakistani delegation.

Mr Khan was initially scheduled to visit Iran in January, but it was reportedly postponed at the eleventh hour due to unexplained reasons though the Foreign Office did issue a statement highlighting that Pak-Iran relations were "marked by close historic and cultural linkages and strong people-to-people exchanges".

The relations have, however, had a bad patch as well due to security issues along the border. There was a brief bonhomie in ties after Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa’s unprecedented visit to Iran in November 2017.

According to diplomatic sources, border security issues will be on top of PM Khan’s agenda in Tehran, especially the April 18 terror attack in Ormara in which 14 armed forces personnel were killed. Following the massacre, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) lodged a strong protest with Iran over its inaction against the terror groups believed to be involved in the Ormara killings.

In a letter written to the Iranian embassy on Friday, the MoFA stated: “Killing of 14 innocent Pakistanis by terrorist groups based in Iran is a very serious incident that Pakistan protests strongly.”

Media reports said 15-20 terrorists camouflaged themselves in Frontier Corps uniform, barricaded the road and stopped three to four buses travelling from Ormara to Gwadar on the coastal highway at Buzi Top before dawn on April 18.

On the identification of the passengers, 14 personnel belonging to the armed forces were shot dead, including Navy, Air Force and Coast Guards personnel.

According to the ministry’s letter, “BRAS” — an alliance of three terrorist organisations — claimed responsibility for the terrorist act. The government said the terrorists had arrived from the border region and returned to the area following the incident.

Among other important issues, including border security, the Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline project is also expected to come under discussion between the two sides.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1477691/pm-imran-khan-meets-iranian-president-rouhani-in-tehran


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> and President of Islamic Republic of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iran?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Iran</a> Dr Hassan Rouhani leading thier respective delegations in a high level meeting <a href="https://t.co/zr5cDd3mrs">pic.twitter.com/zr5cDd3mrs</a></p>— PTI (@PTIofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1120242089906900992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="et" dir="ltr">Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> meets President Hassan Rouhani at Saadabad Palace in Tehran.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrimeMinisterImranKhan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrimeMinisterImranKhan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pakistan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pakistan</a> &#55356;&#56821;&#55356;&#56816; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iran?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Iran</a> &#55356;&#56814;&#55356;&#56823; <a href="https://t.co/RZqCk1mnRe">pic.twitter.com/RZqCk1mnRe</a></p>— PTI (@PTIofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1120213723514376192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Madplayer]

Pakistan must have good relations with Iran. Ayatollahs have time and again called for good relations and unity with Pakistan and have been vocal in their support of Kashmir too which is in Pakistan's interest.

 

[King-Misbah]

Pakistan must have good relations with Iran. Ayatollahs have time and again called for good relations and unity with Pakistan and have been vocal in their support of Kashmir too which is in Pakistan's interest.

Yet the regime supports India over Pakistan. Yadav crossed over from Iran.

 

[Madplayer]

Yet the regime supports India over Pakistan. Yadav crossed over from Iran.

We should use what we can.

 

[Pakpak]

Pointless visit, their health minister greeted IK at the airport. Deliberate insult.

 

[giri26]

Khan kicked off his much-anticipated visit from the holy city of Mashhad where he paid his obeisance at the highly revered shrine of Imam Reza (as).

The cricketer-turned-premier, who catapulted to fame as the captain of Pakistan’s World Cup winning cricket team in 90s, reaffirmed his commitment to strengthen ties between the two countries.

The relations between Iran and Pakistan have always been marked by ambiguity, mainly due to overt pro-Riyadh tilt of successive ruling dispensations in Islamabad over the years. But since Khan took over as the Prime Minister late last year, he has clearly and categorically spoken about his desire to balance ties between Tehran and Riyadh.

However, the recent terror attack in Iran’s restive Sistan-Baluchistan province, targeting a cavalcade of Iranian security forces, threatened to derail ties between the two countries. Iranian politicians and military generals issued strongly-worded statements, urging Pakistan not to allow its territory to be used for attacks against its close ally.

Khan’s growing proximity to Riyadh, like his predecessors, also raised concerns about Islamabad risking its relations with Iran, which made this visit more significant.

Upon his arrival in Mashhad, Khan sought to allay the fears of people in Iran that Pakistan would not compromise its historic and time-tested ties with Iran, its key ally and a regional bulwark.

Iran and Pakistan have more commonalities than differences. The evolution of global and regional security environment is pushing the two countries closer to each other. Further, the two countries can benefit vastly from mutual cooperation in economic, commercial, and security spheres.

Khan’s visit to Tehran came at a critical time when the two sides can take advantage of vast opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields.

Before taking over as the premier of Pakistan, Khan repeatedly asserted that good relations with neighboring countries are in the best interests of Pakistan. He rose to power on the slogan of ‘Naya Pakistan’ (New Pakistan).

But, after assuming charge, he has been battling problems on multiple fronts, at domestic and international level. Many economic and security problems have engulfed him in recent months that has compelled him to change his core team. Beside, tensions with India, uncertainty in Afghanistan and constant saber-rattling of U.S. have dominated his nine months in power.

Khan is visiting Iran at a time when the border they share has become prone to infiltration by terrorists and border regions have become safe havens of notorious terrorist groups. It has got both these friendly Muslim countries concerned about the security of their borders.

Only three days before Khan’s visit to Iran, at least 14 members of Pakistan's security forces were killed in Balochistan province of Pakistan. It is clear that the attack was carried out by those who are not in favor of stronger Iran-Pakistan ties.

But Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi stirred the hornet’s nest saying that the terrorist outfits that carried out the attack have “training and logistic camps inside Iranian areas bordering Pakistan”. In such a situation, both countries should prioritize security and that was the main agenda of this visit, according to sources.

It is an undeniable fact that the enemies of Pakistan and Iran have always tried to disrupt relations between them. Both countries have geostrategic interests and other countries feel threatened by that.

Pakistan believes that cordial ties with Iran are important for regional economic prosperity and security. Closer cooperation between them is a source of strength and stability not only for the two counties but also for the region.

Khan also had a brief meeting with Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, in which the Leader indicated that the terrorist groups responsible for disturbing security on borders are backed by enemies’ money and arms. The anti-security moves at the frontiers of Iran and Pakistan seek to hurt the friendly relations between the two countries, he emphasized.

So, at a time when the enemies are creating roadblocks for the two countries, it is an ideal time to focus on commonalities and bolster ties. In order to promote bilateral relations, it is necessary to identify the enemy and get rid of it.

Pakistan-Iran economic and political relationship would improve only if the measures are taken to ensure better border management in coming years. Both the countries’ geo-strategic locations make them crucial for each other and for the region.

Pakistan and Iran also seem to have arrived at a common ground that a stable, independent, and economically resilient Afghanistan is important for peace and stability in the region.

There are many areas of cooperation between Iran and Pakistan and it is expected that during Khan’s tenure, the two countries would make use of all opportunities to enhance bilateral ties. They have to be on the same page to tackle multiple challenges imperiling their relations and regional stability.

Reported by Raghib Hussain. Writer is a student and researcher from Gilgit Pakistan, currently based in Tehran.

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/144614/Khan-s-Iran-visit-significant-on-many-counts

 

[Pakistanian]

China, Russia and Iran hold joint naval drills in Gulf of Oman

Hong Kong (CNN)China, Russia and Iran began a four-day joint military exercise in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman on Friday amid ongoing friction in the economically important region between Tehran and Washington.

The Gulf of Oman has been a focal point of geopolitical tensions in 2019, after two oil tankers were attacked in the narrow strait in June by an unidentified party. The US blamed Iran for the attack but Tehran denied the allegations. Then in July, Iran detained a British oil tanker, the Stena Impero, for two months.

The vessels planned to leave Iran's Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman, before being deployed across areas in the north of the Indian Ocean, Second Rear Admiral Gholamreza Tahani said earlier, according to Iran's state-run Press TV.

Tahani said the exercise will cover 17,000 square kilometers and consist of "various tactical exercises," which include target practice and rescuing ships from assaults and fires.

"َAmong the objectives of this exercise are improving the security of international maritime trade, countering maritime piracy and terrorism, exchanging information regarding rescue operations and operational and tactical experience," Tahani added.

The joint drills also serve as a signal to the world that relations between Tehran, Moscow and Beijing have reached a "meaningful" level, Tahani said. He added that it was the first time Iran has held a joint exercise with two major world naval powers at this scale.

Beijing's defense spokesman Wu Qian said Thursday that the drill was a "normal military exchange" between the three armed forces and was in line with international law and practices.
The drill was not necessarily connected with the regional situation, Wu added.

"The upcoming naval drills are aimed at deepening exchange and cooperation among the navies of the three countries, and displaying the three sides' strong will and capabilities to jointly maintain world peace and maritime security, while actively building a maritime community with a shared future," he said.

Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Iranian Armed Forces Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi said it was "important and vital" that security was established in the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman.

"The Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman are among the world's key trade routes and many countries commute in the (two) regions and therefore establishing security there is important and vital," Shekarchi said.

The Gulf of Oman connects to the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 30% of the world's sea-borne crude oil passes. Shekarchi added that the military exercises would be aimed at increasing power and experience to ensure international trade security in the region.

The joint drills are likely to be perceived as provocative by Washington. Earlier this year US President Donald Trump proposed sending a US-led naval mission to the Gulf of Oman to protect economic interests in the region.

In a Twitter post on Thursday, Trump took aim at Iran, Russia, and the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, warning the three countries against military action in Syria.
"Russia, Syria, and Iran are killing, or on their way to killing, thousands of innocent civilians in Idlib Province. Don't do it!" Trump wrote.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/27/asia/china-russia-iran-military-drills-intl-hnk/index.html

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan and Iran on Wednesday agreed to further enhance bilateral defence cooperation and work together for regional peace and a unified response to terrorism which was a common enemy, military’s media wing said.

“Pakistan and Iran are two brotherly countries and our close cooperation is vital for regional peace and stability,” army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was quoted by the ISPR as saying while meeting with Chief of General Staff (CGS) of Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Major General Mohammad Bagheri.

The top Iranian military officer accompanied by a high level delegation visited the General Headquarters (GHQ) and held a one-on-one meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa, according to the statement.

On arrival, the Iranian CGS was presented Guard of Honour by a smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Army. The visiting dignitary laid floral wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada and prayed for Martyrs of Pakistan.

A wide range of issues including Afghanistan situation, regional security and border management particularly fencing along Pak-Iran border were discussed during the meeting between the two officials.

During the delegation level meeting, the visiting dignitary was given a comprehensive regional security appraisal and operational update besides briefing on training regime of Pakistan Army including collaboration with friendly countries and conduct of various joint military exercises.

The Iranian CGS expressed his desire for further strengthening the bilateral military to military ties particularly in counter terrorism and training domains.

Meeting with CJCSC

Maj Gen Bagheri separately called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza at Joint Staff Headquarters in Rawalpindi, the ISPR said.

During the meeting, both officials deliberated upon various areas of mutual interest, bilateral cooperation including defence and security, counter-terrorism and prevailing regional environment particularly with reference to Afghanistan.

They dilated upon measures to enhance the level and scope of military engagements between the two countries and pledged to continue to forge deeper ties.

Both sides highlighted that common borders should be “Borders of Peace & Friendship”.

Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of Islamic Republic of #Iran Major General Mohammad Bagheri called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza at Joint Staff Headquarters, Rawalpindi today#ISPR #etribune #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/eQAlPC2AFW

— The Express Tribune (@etribune) October 13, 2021
The JCSC chairman said that in pursuit of a closer military and strategic cooperation, both countries share a common perception on all national and international issues. The dignitary lauded the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces and acknowledged their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

The visit of the Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of Islamic Republic of Iran marks a new stage in strengthening the military, defense and security relations between the two brotherly countries, the JCSC chairman added.

Earlier, upon arrival at Joint Staff Headquarters, a smartly turned-out tri-services contingent presented ‘Guard of Honour’ to the visiting dignitary.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/232465...RCMHZFeS1HVnpTSTdlOXdJV19VSmJRbzRROVktUFZYUlI

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2328164/pakistan-iran-to-revive-talks-for-free-trade-agreement

Iran and Pakistan have agreed to revive talks on a free trade agreement (GTA) and reaffirmed their commitment to raise the volume of annual trade to $5 billion.

The decision was taken during the 9th joint trade committee meeting between the two sides in Tehran on Saturday, co-chaired by Iran's Commerce Minister Reza Fatemi-Amin and Pakistani premier's commerce and investment adviser, Abdul Razak Dawood, Anadolu Agency learnt.

The two countries had finalised the draft of the FTA in Dec. 2017 after several rounds of talks but reinstatement of sanctions on Iran by the former US administration in May 2018 saw the agreement being put on the backburner.

Fatemi-Amin said the two sides agreed to make concerted efforts in the next three months to "remove obstacles in trade", in a suggestion that the FTA will be put into effect.

Dawood, on his part, said Pakistan is eager to see progress and promotion of trade relations with Iran, especially in "shipment of goods, bartering commodities, reduction of tariffs, and creation of border markets."

During the meeting on Saturday, the two sides also discussed barter trade, transportation, border markets, exhibitions, and private sector investments, officials and diplomats told Anadolu Agency.

Bilateral trade between Tehran and Islamabad has come down from $1.5 billion before the pandemic to less than $1 billion.

The two sides on Saturday expressed confidence that the volume of annual trade will reach $5 billion, stressing on increased Pakistani investments in Iran.

The two countries had signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in 2006, which experts say failed to push the trade balance beyond $1.5 billion, with US sanctions playing the spoilsport.