Challenges and Responses of Contemporary Pakistan-Iran Relations

Abstract

Iran and Pakistan are neighboring Muslim countries. Since the independence of
Pakistan from British India in 1947, it has kept close ties with Iran, based on shared
values and a common heritage. Both the countries went through ups and downs in their
history but still maintained a peaceful relation. To maintain a good momentum of
relations, they adopted policies to enhance their friendship. This paper focuses on
different pushing and pulling factors between their relations, at the local, regional, and
global levels, while analyzing their changing perspectives towards each other over time
on different common issues. Those factors include the politics circles around delaying
the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, the Iran nuclear issue, the U.S. intervention in the wake
of its withdrawal from the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the
Afghanistan situation and implications for both Iran and Pakistan, Saudi Arabian
influence especially in the foreign policy formulation of Pakistan, and the recent Indian
rapprochement towards Iran. This paper is based on secondary data.