Zardari’s Trip to Iran

24 July 2011 | 19:34 Code : 14845 Asia & Africa

Mohammad Ibrahim Taherian, Iran’s former ambassador to Pakistan

There were two issues concerning Mr. Asif Ali Zardari’s trip to Iran, details of which came from unofficial sources. Some said that his main purpose for this trip was to mediate between Iran and Arab countries or the West. Regarding this theory, it should be understood that Islamabad and the ruling party does not have the capability or the position to mediate between Iran and any other country, due to the fact that it is considered a failed state.

The other issue brought to light in this regard was that Mr. Zardari’s trip fits within the bilateral relations of the two countries and can be evaluated in two separate ways.

1- This trip was mainly aimed at improving ties between Tehran and Islamabad according to the capacities available. However, since improving these ties requires a solid infrastructure in the energy, economic or political sectors; meetings which were held during the anti-terrorism conference were mainly based on improving these infrastructures and further developing the relations.

2- It seems that this trip was looked upon by Islamabad as a tool, since according to confirmed news Washington is cutting a third of its aid to Islamabad. Iran is a country with plenty of economic opportunities in the energy sector, it is near international waters, and is considered an influential country in regional issues. It is hoped that Pakistan looks at Iran through the geopolitical capacities mentioned above. In that case Iran could help improve the economic, security, and social problems facing Pakistan-- a country with many problems. Therefore it can be said that this trip could be both hopeful and could also be a sign that Pakistan only looks at Iran as a tool.

Experts believe that the improvement of ties between these two countries-- which already have cooperative agreements-- could have a strategic purpose and to enhance these relations solid infrastructures are required. It seems that Tehran has done its part in developing these infrastructures and it has shown its support for Islamabad in many cases such as the issue of energy; both in terms of its price and the advantages it gave Islamabad in the gas pipeline on the Mirjave border. However, it seems that Islamabad has not done anything in particular to improve these infrastructures.

Another important issue is that even if Islamabad had good intensions behind the two trips it has taken to Iran within a month, the improvement of relations still requires the enhancement of infrastructures. It must be realized that relations between two countries are not defined by the visits their officials make to the other country.

Clinton’s trip to New Delhi

Another perspective regarding Mr. Asif Ali Zardari’s trip to Iran is that Mrs. Clinton visited New Delhi despite all the current developments. If we suppose that Islamabad is trying to trigger a reaction by Washington to Zardari’s visit to Iran, and considering the debts Delhi owes to Tehran, it seems that the policy undertaken by the democrats in the region in the past year has been based on crisis management. Therefore, it seems this trip is in line with the crisis management policy, especially after the announced gradual departure of US forces form Afghanistan, and the beginning of some movements in Pakistan after the death of Osama Bin Laden.