Lord Palmerston, a British statesman and Prime Minister is often quoted to have said that there are no permanent enemies, and no permanent friends but only permanent interests in international relations. He was primarily correct because Britain did not have land borders contiguous with any other nation but Ireland. However, for countries with neighbours geographically connected on land, this is not a wholesome statement. As the neighbourhood is permanent so is the interest of having good relations with one’s neighbours as a solemn reality since good or bad happening on either side has spillover effects.
More so in today’s era when Bloc Thinking is once again gaining momentum, it is imperative to maintain cordial relations with the neighbours so that collective strength is invested for the benefit of people of the region. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan have so much in common besides the land and sea borders. When Pakistan came into being, Iran was the first country to recognize it and Pakistan reciprocated the same gesture when the Iranian Revolution culminated.
With borders, both also share culture, history and ideology. During the devastating Iran-Iraq war, Pakistan sided with Iran while the latter has always supported the cause of Kashmir by voicing for their right of self-determination and condemning the atrocities perpetrated against innocent Kashmiris. Iran and Pakistan have also had similar sentiments on barbarity against Muslims anywhere in the world. There is also great similarity in the languages spoken on either side of the border.
Urdu, the national language of Pakistan has almost seventy percent of words from Persian origin. The national anthem of Pakistan is entirely in Persian less only one word. Many Iranians, especially doctors have received their education in Pakistan and have also stayed in the country for a job. They still have fond memories of their stay in Pakistan and maintain connection with their old-time friends. A large number of Pakistanis visit religious sites in Iran every year to pay homage.
At the government level, there is great affinity between the two countries and high-level visits from both sides are a norm. Both are members of the United Nations (UN), Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Initiatives of the Conference of the Parliament Speakers of Six Regional Countries, Initiatives of the Meeting of the Security Council Secretaries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States, and Initiatives of the Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbouring Countries. Armed forces from both sides also enjoy cordial relations and regular visits of high-level delegations are regularly undertaken. During AMAN exercise and AMAN Dialogue 2025, the Iranian delegation was led by Iranian Naval Chief Rear Admiral Shahram Irani while for the first time, the Iranian Navy participated with one of their indigenously built latest ships, Jamaran.
Admiral Shahram appreciated the idea of AMAN Dialogue 2025, held for the first time and hoped to have peace in the region which is beneficial mutually. Culturally, both countries are aligned as cuisines, dresses and family values are quite similar on both sides of the border. It is more vivid along the Pakistani province of Balochistan and the adjacent Iranian province of Sistan-wa-Baluchistan as the same tribes live on either side.
Leveraging this affinity, both countries have facilitated opening of border markets at different points along the border and six such sites have been approved out of which two have so far been formally inaugurated. The mutual trade between both countries stands at a meagre $2 billion, which includes both documented and undocumented trade but is far less than the potential that exists on both sides.
During the Iranian President’s visit to Pakistan in April 2024, the leadership on both sides affirmed to increase trade volume up to $10bn. The question is why despite the close linkages and affinities trade relations are not improving? It is perhaps because of a lack of understanding and knowledge about each other that the common people have.
There is a dearth of people-to-people contact which obstructs identification of means and ways to increase trade.
It is important to understand the dynamics inside a country to forge better relations and the best way is to encourage public diplomacy between the two sides. People from think tanks, academia, media, arts, sports and tourism sectors are the ones who bring information about a particular country and share it with the rest of the populace.
That is how culture and working style are comprehended which lead to identification of new avenues for generating good relations. There is thus, an imminent need for giving public diplomacy a chance between Pakistan and Iran because until it is ripened, tangible benefits cannot be reaped.
Certainly, no matter how good relations persist between the two governments no policies can see worthwhile fruition for the benefit of people from both sides until people meet with each other. There is an important facet of this relationship embedded in the geographically contiguous frontiers that leadership on both sides have to grasp; profit and loss are shared whether there are prosperous or detrimental activities happening on either side.
With the public support which is already there with the geographical logic, choice for both the governments is restricted to only having better relations.
