Pakistan’s Balancing Act on Iran

Context

Pakistan has prolonged strong rhetorical support to Iran amid the ongoing Iran-Israel war.

Iran and Pakistan Relations

• Foundational Ties: Iran was the first country to apprehend Pakistan after its independence in 1947.
  • Iran furnished army and diplomatic assistance to Pakistan all through the 1965 and 1971 wars with India.
  • Despite shared Islamic identity, ties have been marked by deep distrust, mainly as the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which redefined Iran’s geopolitical stance.
• Border Tensions and the Baloch Question: The 900-km Iran-Pakistan border runs through the Baloch heartland, with the Pak province of Balochistan on one side and the Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan on the alternative.
  • Each side accuses the alternative of offering safe haven to separatist agencies. 
  • There have been at least 15 border clashes in the last decade, most recently in January 2024.
• Divergence over Afghanistan: Iran (Shia-Majority) supported the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance in the Nineties, out of issues stemming from a strongly anti-Shia group (Taliban) ruling a neighbour with which it shares a 921-km-border.
  • Pakistan has traditionally sponsored the Taliban, resulting in conflicting regional stakes in Afghanistan.
• Sectarian Dimensions and the Saudi Factor: Pakistan’s close alliance with Saudi Arabia, a Sunni-majority energy, has strained ties with Iran.
  • Saudi-funded Sunni madrasas in Pakistan have fostered sectarian ideologies against Shia minorities.
  • Iran sees this as a part of a broader Sunni axis opposed to its pursuits.

The American Angle: Divergent Alignments

• Post-1979, Iran has remained adverse to the USA, while Pakistan has relied on American assistance, specifically all through the Cold War.
• Post-11th of September technology, Pakistan changed into a key US ally against the Taliban, receiving huge military and financial resources.
• US disengagement post-2021 (after the Afghanistan exit) has reduced Pakistan’s value America’s strategic calculus.
• Now, Iran–Israel tensions offer Pakistan a capability diplomatic commencing to regain relevance in US eyes:
  • Publicly rejecting military aid for Iran reassures the US.
  • Pakistan is likewise pitching itself as a mediator, with Foreign Minister claiming efforts to enlarge Iran’s willingness to barter with the USA, contingent on a halt in Israeli strikes.

How is Iran Strategically Important to India?

• India and Iran share deep civilisational, linguistic, and historical ties. Post-independence, they signed a friendship treaty in 1950.
• Key milestones encompass the 2001 Tehran Declaration and the New Delhi Declaration, which bolstered cooperation in areas like economy, energy, education, and counter-terrorism. 
• Iran is extremely essential for India as a strategic accomplice as it gives connectivity, mainly via the Chabahar Port and the International NorthSouth Transport Corridor (INSTC). 
• These offer alternative trade routes, bypassing Pakistan and decorating access to Central Asia and beyond.

Emerging Challenges

• Pakistan’s moves amid the Iran-Israel war reflect a broader strategy to regain regional relevance and re-interact with the United States.
• Pakistan’s balancing act involves:
  • Vocal non-army support to Iran.
  • Leveraging diplomatic tools to remain applicable post-Afghanistan.
• Pakistan also sees rhetorical assistance for Iran as a way to weaken India-Iran ties, mainly given India’s strategic investments in Iran’s Chabahar Port and connectivity projects that pass Pakistan. 

Conclusion

• The Iran–Pakistan relationship is a strategic paradox which on the surface are Islamic allies with historic ties but in reality are geopolitical competition, deeply divided over sectarian, regional, and global alignments.
• The US component, India’s strategic outreach to Iran, and the Israel–Iran disaster add in additional layers to this dynamic.
• For India, understanding this relation is prime to protecting its interests in Iran and keeping regional balance in the face of Pakistan’s recalibrated foreign policy.

Source: The Indian Express

Mains PYQ

Q. In what ways would the ongoing U.S-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy affect the national interest of India? How should India respond to this situation? (2018)

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