Pakistan, Iran cooperation critical for protecting interests: Mushahid

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran had been victims of aggression based on “false pretexts” and that the myth of invincibility surrounding India and Israel had been “shattered” by the resilience and resistance of Pakistan and Iran, said former federal minister Mushahid Hussain Syed while addressing a seminar ahead of upcoming visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The seminar was organized by the Islamabad Policy Institute (IPI) on Wednesday and it brought together Pakistani lawmakers, former diplomats, and journalists to discuss the future of bilateral relations. A visiting delegation of Iranian media also attended the session.

“Resolution of the Palestine and Kashmir disputes is essential for stability in both the Middle East and South Asia,” Mushahid said. A growing “Indo-Israel axis” was a reality that both countries must cope with, he said. “Israel helped India during its aggression against Pakistan, while Iran’s recent conflict with Israel exposed Indian support for Tel Aviv,” he said. “Pakistan’s solidarity with Iran is a reaffirmation of the time tested ties between the two countries and this solidarity is also based on mutual interest and to counter common threats that both Pakistan and Iran face.”

The speakers said closer cooperation between Pakistan and Iran is critical for safeguarding their mutual interests in a shifting geopolitical landscape where both countries face common threats including from Israel. IPI Chairperson and former Human Rights Federal Minister Dr. Shireen Mazari underscored the urgency of resolving bilateral challenges, particularly related to border security, to avoid disruptions to trade and pilgrimage traffic. She warned that separatist movements in the region were being fueled by external powers, notably Israel and the United States. “These powers are actively trying to destabilize our region,” Mazari said, urging both countries to strengthen their security coordination. She also called for the revival of the long-stalled Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline and questioned the global nuclear non-proliferation regime’s fairness. “If Israel is not brought into NPT and under IAEA safeguards, Iran would have little incentive to stay in the NPT,” she argued.

Chairman Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen Senator Raja Nasir Abbas Jafri said Pakistan and Iran must work on internal stabilization as a prerequisite for regional cooperation. “Hostile external forces are trying to disrupt the global power shift away from the West by destabilizing key regions like South Asia, West Asia and South China Sea,” he said. Senator Raja Nasir emphasized conflict avoidance, enhanced communication, and stronger political and media ties. “We must root our relationship in mutual trust and shared strategic objectives,” he added.

IPI Fellow and expert on militancy and extremism Ambassador Abdul Basit highlighted shifting security dynamics along the Pakistan-Iran border. “The border region is witnessing entrance of new state and non-state actors. At the same time, the existing non-state actors are also adjusting their agendas in line with the new geopolitical realities,” he noted and emphasized that both Pakistan and Iran both should relook into their border security mechanisms. “Israel is allegedly now backing separatist narratives through initiatives like the Balochistan Study Project,” he said, referencing publications advocating for regime change in Iran and the creation of an independent Balochistan. He also flagged the presence of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in the Balochistan region as an added threat.

IPI Fellow and doctoral candidate at University of Technology in Sydney Muhammad Faisal said that despite tensions, both sides had taken steps to rebuild political trust since January 2024 missile exchanges. “While diplomatic ties have recovered, economic cooperation remains stalled due to sanctions and lack of formal banking channels,” he said. Faisal urged a careful balancing of ties with both Iran and Gulf countries, cautioning that deeper engagement with one should not come at the expense of the other. “Pakistan’s ability to maintain strategic dialogue with Iran and the US has increased its diplomatic space,” he said. “This must be used to build sustained engagement based on realism and recognition of each other’s limitations.”