The visit of Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to Iran comes at a time when the country has to rebuild its relations with its partners and neighbours for the sake of regional security and economic stability. Iran is a major actor in regional dynamics, and it has had long-standing connections with Pakistan, which have threatened to be disrupted owing to security and foreign policy considerations. Iran’s and Pakistan’s foreign ministers have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties in a variety of areas. Pakistan’s economic predicament necessitates improved relations with its neighbours, and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto has been holding discussions with his peers across the region to that purpose. Building close ties should be a top priority, and Iran is undoubtedly one of Pakistan’s top priorities. In a joint press conference with Bilawal Bhutto, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian discussed the potential of restarting the 2015 nuclear accord. Pakistan has strong ties with Iran, although the two countries’ relations have suffered ups and downs during the last two decades. The close ties between Pakistan and the United States, as well as Iran’s better relations with India, have been a key stumbling barrier. These two dispositions should not have been mutually exclusive in the first place, yet they were. This was exacerbated by India’s involvement in inciting turmoil in Pakistan, resulting in unavoidable animosity between the two neighbours. Hopefully, relations will be reset and a new chapter in bilateral relations will begin. On the surface, Pakistan’s foreign minister’s travel to Iran has given both countries the opportunity to review their entire bilateral relationship. The two countries have found new ways to strengthen their ties, particularly in the areas of border management, connectivity, and cultural and educational collaboration. Furthermore, there is a lot of potential to promote people-to-people communication and pilgrim facilitation. Better bilateral cooperation can also help Iran and Pakistan in the fields of investment and trade. The visit should result in a better knowledge of how to expand commerce through the operationalization of the barter trading system. Due to the current foreign exchange crisis in both countries, greater barter trading would be useful in relieving the pressure of doing business in dollars.
Pakistan is always in need of more energy for its household and industrial customers, and Iran can provide additional electricity at a low cost. The Pakistan-Iran pipeline has been in the works for a long time, and it was first conceived by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s father, Asif Ali Zardari.
Pakistan is currently in severe need of electricity and might benefit greatly from Iran’s assistance in this area if it can evade Western sanctions.
Because the changing fortunes in Afghanistan have had such a direct impact on Iran and Pakistan, it goes without saying that a stable Afghanistan is important for both.
Any further war and instability in the region will be detrimental to all neighbouring nations, which is one reason why Iran and Pakistan, regardless of their links with other countries, must improve their relations.
For decades, this region has yearned for peace, and it is imperative that the outcomes of this visit be built upon so that economic and political stability may be reached via mutual cooperation.
Pakistan is always in need of more energy for its household and industrial customers, and Iran can provide additional electricity at a low cost.