Alwaght- Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's visit to Iran comes as Islamabad and New Delhi are in extensive geopolitical tensions and Pakistan's traditional relations with some of its Persian Gulf Arab allies have been facing challenges. So, this visit should be seen a sign of upgrade in Iran's place in the foreign policy of Pakistan, a country that in recent years has been looking to Iran as a key partner for cooperation especially after India stepped up its strategic cooperation with Persian Gulf Arab monarchies.
The recent conflict between Pakistan and India has once again shown that the balance of power in the region is changing and Islamabad cannot count on the unwavering support of some of its traditional allies, such as the US, as it used to. On the other hand, the significant increase in India’s economic and security cooperation with countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain has forced Pakistan to reconsider its regional priorities. Meanwhile, Iran, with its unique geostrategic location, energy capabilities, and security commonalities with Pakistan, could become an important partner in the new equations for this country.
Sharif’s visit to Tehran should be analyzed in this context. It should be seen as a step that could be the beginning of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the areas of security, energy, and transit, and indicates Pakistan’s desire to diversify its partners in a situation where the region’s geopolitics are rapidly changing. Will this visit open a new chapter in Iran-Pakistan relations? The future will answer, but what is clear is that both countries need convergence more than ever before in the face of common regional challenges.
Iran-Pakistsn convergence in foreign policy: From Palestine to Yemen
The visit to Tehran comes as the Muslim world is dealing with deep challenges in West Asia and Tehran and Islamabad as two Islamic powers can have considerable common points in regional policies.
One of the most obvious of these is the common position on the Palestinian cause. Both countries do not recognize the Israeli regime and have actively condemned Israeli aggression on Palestinians and massacre in Gaza. This political alignment is becoming more important, especially in the context of some Arab states moving towards normalizing relations with Israel.
In this regard, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei in part of his remarks during a meeting with the Pakistani PM referred to Pakistan’s very good and strong position on the Palestinian issue over the past years, saying: "While in recent years there have always been temptations for Islamic countries to have relations with the Israeli regime, Pakistan has never been influenced by these temptations."
He called the Palestinian cause the first top Muslim world issue. Referring to the deplorable conditions in Gaza, he noted: "The situation in Gaza has reached a point where ordinary people in Europe and America are protesting against their governments by holding demonstrations, but in these same circumstances, unfortunately, some Islamic governments are standing by the Zionist regime."
Both Islamabad and Tehran emphasize the need for unity in the Muslim world against the Israeli occupation, and this issue could help strengthen the resistance discourse at the regional level.
In the meantime, it should not be forgotten that the common position of the two countries in regional and Islamic cases has another bright face and it is the Pakistani stance towards Saudi invasion of Yemen in 2015. Despite the political and economic pressure of Riyadh against Islamabad, the latter rejected to join the anti-Yemeni Arab coalition, revealing its capacity to cooperate with the Iran-led Axis of Resistance in regional crises.
Transit, the key of Iran-Pakistsn economic cooperation
Sharif’s visit to Iran could represent an opportunity to speed up economic partnership. Trade volume of Iran and Pakistan last year was estimated at around $3 billion, and the officials of the two countries have set $10 billion as a target. This can be achieved quickly by activating capacities, especially in areas such as transit, energy, and border trade.
In the area of activating transit capacities, both countries are members of important regional organizations such as ECO and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and they can use these common frameworks to facilitate trade and joint investments.
In their meeting, the Leader and the Pakistani PM also underscored the need for cooperation between the two countries to make the ECO more active as the two main founders of the organization.
Meanwhile, one of the most important projects that could help significantly grow economic relations between the two neighbors is the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). Although Islamabad has seen Chabahar Port as a serious contender to its maritime transit project at Gwadar Port in recent years, this corridor, which connects Iran to Russia, India, and Central Asian countries, can become a vital trade route for the region by linking to Pakistan's transit networks and, with growing economic interconnections, boost peace and stability in the region.
In energy area, Iran with its huge gas reserves can play a key role in providing Pakistan's energy. The Iran to Pakistan gas project, officially known as Peace Pipeline, which has been on hold due to the Western sanctions, can meet part of Pakistani energy needs and provide substantial economic benefits to the two sides if obstacles are removed.
Conclusion
The Pakistani PM's Tehran visit not only highlights the economic convergence of the two countries, but also provides an opportunity for greater unity in regional policies. The common positions on the Palestinian and Gaza issues demonstrate that Tehran and Islamabad can continue to support an independent and justice-oriented approach to crises in the Muslim world in the future. If these cooperations are rightly managed, they can give rise to a new pole in West Asia equations that will resist foreign interventions and occupation.
