Iran–Pakistan relations

Iran and Pakistan are neighbours, connected by the sparsely populated Balochistan region split between them. There is a long history of contact and mutual influence, with segments of Pakistani culture directly descended from Iranian cultures. However, today their relation is complex, driven by geo-political aspirations, religious affiliations, and internal and external factors.

History before 1947

The area of the Asian subcontinent which is now Pakistan had frequent interactions with the Persian Empire, today known as Iran and was often directly ruled by Persia. There were trade relations dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization. The Achaemenid annexation of the Punjab and Sindh during the 5th century BCE solidified this connection in the Indus valley. The Sassanid empire included parts of Baluchistan. After its collapse, large numbers of the Zoroastrians fled via the Indus Valley to other parts of the Indian subcontinent forming today's Parsi community.

In later centuries, conquests by Alexander, Timur and Nadir Shah resulted in both countries being under a single ruler. Persian nobles, most famously Nur Jahan, formed an important part of the nobility during the Mughal era.

Pakistan's western province, Balochistan, lies on the eastern edge of the Iranian plateau, tying it directly to the Greater Iranian civilization found in this area. Balochistan is part of the greater Baluchistan region that is split between Pakistan and Iran, as well as southern Afghanistan. A significant numbers of Persian speakers can still be found in Pakistan's western provinces.

The key languages of both countries - Persian, Punjabi, Sindhi, Urdu - are part of the Indo-Iranian and Indo-European languages family tree. Modern day Urdu draws its script and a significant part of its vocabulary from Persian. The national anthem of Pakistan is written in a heavily Persianized dialect of Urdu. A small Parsi community continues to live in Karachi, as well as a large Iranian exile community centered on Karachi's Sohrab Goth neighborhood.

As a result of these close geographical, ethnic, linguistic and cultural ties, there are strong common ethno-linguistic and cultural bonds between Iranians and Pakistanis.

1947 to 1979

In 1947 Iran was the first country to recognize the newly created state of Pakistan.

During the Shah's era, Iran moved closer to Pakistan in many fields and the two nations worked closely with each other. Pakistan, Iran and Turkey joined the United States-sponsored CENTO (Central Treaty Organization) defence treaty which extended along the Soviet Union's southern perimeter.

Their relationship further strengthened in the 1970s to suppress a rebel movement in Balochistan, across provinces of Iranian Baluchestan, Pakistani Baluchistan and Afghan Balochistan. In addition the Shah offered considerable development aid to Pakistan including oil and gas on preferential terms. Iran is also believed to have assisted Pakistan financially in its development of a nuclear program after India's surprise test detonation Smiling Buddha in 1974.

Pakistanis and Iranians frequently visited each other's countries. Considerable business, educational and infrastructure development took place in this period.

The Shiite factor

Pakistani Shia pilgrims visit sites in Qom, Mashad, and others.

Many prominent Shiite tribes and land-owning families in Pakistan are Iranian in origin. The former prime minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, a Shia, was half Iranian from her mother's side,who was an Iranian Kurd. Shias are in a majority in Pakistan's Northern Areas, as well as in several towns and villages in Southern Punjab and parts of the NWFP.

Since 1979

After the Iranian Revolution, Iran withdrew from CENTO and dissociated itself from US-friendly countries such as Pakistan. Despite close ties under the Shah, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the new Iranian government, and attempted to rebuild ties.

In the 1980s both Pakistan and Iran opposed the Soviet occupation in Afghanistan and coordinated their covert support for the Afghan mujahideen.

During the 1990s, their relations were dominated by the Shiite factor, nuclearization, the Taliban in Afghanistan, and Iran's material support of Shiite paramilitary organizations in Pakistan.

Abdul Qadeer Khan was allegedly involved in selling sensitive technology to Iran, particularly P1 centrifuge systems. Iran divulged this information to the IAEA during the course of the international investigation.

Pakistan and Iran supported opposite sides in the 1991-2001 Afghan Civil War. Pakistan supported the Pashtun Taliban while Iran supported the Tajik Northern Alliance. When the eventually took over Kabul, they executed many Iranian residents, including a diplomat. Shia-Sunni gun battles in Pakistan became even more coordinated, thereby straining relations. The situation worsened to a point that Iran massed 300,000 troops at the Afghanistan border and threatened to attack Taleban government, which Iran never recognized, if Pakistan did not take measures to protect lives of Iranians in AfghanistanFact|date=July 2008.

Relations between Iran and Pakistan improved since after the removal of Taliban in 2002, but regional rivalry continues. Sunni-majority Pakistan sides with fellow Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia in its competition with Shiite majority Iran for influence across the broader Islamic world, although Pakistan is far less ideological than either country, and is more concerned with influence in Central Asia rather than in the Arab world. Iran considers northern and western Afghanistan as its sphere of influence since its population is Persian Dari speaking . Pakistan considers southern and western Afghanistan as its sphere of influence since it is Pashto and Baloch speaking like the North-West Frontier Province. Pakistan expressed concern over India's plan to build a highway linking the southern Afghanistan city of Kandahar to Zahidan, since it will reduce Afghanistan's dependence on Pakistan to the benefit of Iran. There are still sporadic incidents of attacks on Pakistani Shias and allegations that Pakistan is attempting to change the demographic balance of the Northern Areas.

Both the countries joined the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), a derivative of Regional Co-operation for Development (RCD), which was established in 1964. The ECO groups neighboring non-Arab Muslim states. As part of this regional organizational framework both countries continue to cooperate on trade and investment.

In 2005, Iran and Pakistan conducted US$500 million of trade. The land border at Taftan is the conduit for trade in electricity and oil. Iran is extending its railway network towards Taftan but the gauges are of different sizes, 1435mm and 1676mm respectively.

The Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline is currently under discussion. It could be a major development between all three nations. Distrust between India and Pakistan over violence in Kashmir is delaying this project, as well as India's demand for lowered transit fees from Pakistan. In addition international sanctions on Iran due to its controversial nuclear program could derail the project altogether.

See also

* Iran
* Pakistan
* Abdul Qadeer Khan
* Military of Pakistan#Iran & Turkey

Links

* [http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HA13Df03.html Asia Times on Iran-Pakistan relations]
* Schoresch Davoodi & Adama Sow: " [http://www.aspr.ac.at/epu/research/rp_0807.pdf The Political Crisis of Pakistan in 2007] " - EPU Research Papers: Issue 08/07, Stadtschlaining 2007 - Research Paper which also describes the relations between Pakistan and Iran