By : Momina Arshad
The proverbial merchant who killed the golden egg-laying hen too hastily must had regretted whole life for desiring more and loosing all.Similarly, Pakistan while deprioritising relations with Iran to enrapture some countries at the core, is constantly failing to identify the emerging power and pleasing those who will soon be no more be dominant. .The only difference is that Pakistan is will loose diamond instead of gold.
With the diplomacy at cusp in Vienna, from the latter half of August, Pakistan must not let the opportunities of bilateral collaboration for boosting regional trade and connectivity pass over. As the say,”the friends in the bad times are unforgettable in good times” Iran surely wouldn’t be unaware of it too. The sanction-hit country has always kept better ties with the next-door neighbour, Pakistan, however Pakistan’s more protocol to Saudi Arabia in OIC summit 1974, immediate recognition of (so-called) anti-Shia Talibans and alleged support to anti-Shia groups by Zia-ul-Haq’s Islamised policies, did raised questions for Iranians. Pakistan must keep the neighbour contented as Iran now is no less than an emerging superpower.
Iran is a regional and middle power, with a geopolitically strategic location in the Asian continent. It is a founding member of the United Nations, the ECO, the OIC, and the OPEC. It has large reserves of fossil fuels—including the second-largest natural gas supply and the third-largest proven oil reserves, making it one of the most important countries of the world.
Despite the economic instability invited by sanctions, threats, wars and isolationism, Iran expanded its power in the region. Needless to state, Iran with the uplift of sanctions and release of its frozen funds (estimated $29 Billion) by USA will get its economy boosted at full tilt.
The geopolitical chess is being cleverly played by Iran with Asian Triple
Axis that is no more under the veil now. However its too early to definitively establish the presence of Russia-China-Iran. India, the dominant player in South Asia, is a notch behind as it attempts to strike a balance between China and the US.The trio has also shunned India’s decision to shift heavily toward the West in the post-Cold War era.It is claimed the Iran is now emerging as a superpower and the claim made is that the United States and “even greater powers will have to make an alignment with Islamic Republic of Iran “following the April 22 launch of Iran’s first military satellite. “In historical terms, Iran has never had such a powerful position,” says Fawaz Gerges, a Mideast scholar at the London School of Economics and Political Science.Pakistan’s diplomacy shouldn’t dawdle to be more convergent than divergent towards Iran.Pak-Iran alliance adding China,Russia and the middle asian countries has potential to be no less than the strongest regional power, this power bloc can do wonders. Pakistan must reframe the diplomatic policies towards Iran-enemy and Pakistan-friendly Islamic country with no more delay in functionalization of Pak-Iran border markets and projects to strengthen the trust of Iran on Pakistan.