Apart from being a neighbor, Iran is the only country with which Pakistan has “had age-old relations, based on cultural, ethnic, and spiritual links”. Pakistan shares over 900 kilometers common border with Iran. Traditionally Pakistani frontiers with Iran have always been peaceful, safe, and secure. Iran and Pakistan has a long history of cordial and friendly relations. The history of Pak and Iran relations goes back to the earliest days of Pakistan’s independence. Iran was the first country that accorded official recognition to the independence of Pakistan in August 1947, and its diplomatic mission began to function in and security cooperation only. Economic and technical cooperation was established within Karachi in the same year. During those years, the bilateral relationship was not limited to political the framework of the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), which was set up by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey as an economic grouping. RCD remained in existence from 1964 to 1979.there was need to establish good relations between both countries.

There were three factors mostly important. Firstly, it was the co-membership of Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) which facilitated active cooperation in certain fields. The second factor was the agreement between Iran and Pakistan regarding their unsettled boundary. A joint Iran and Pak Boundary Commission was appointed in 1956. According to the understanding reached by the Commission, Pakistan and Iran signed an agreement on February 6, 1958, through which Pak-Iran border definition was established. The third factor was Iran’s efforts to bring about re union between Afghanistan and Pakistan, after destroy in their diplomatic relations. The emergence of a none-Arab Muslim country on its neighborhood provided her reprieve and reinforced its security. Whereas, Pakistan, otherwise agonized of Indian aggression and hostile Afghanistan, took Iran as its strategic partner that was amply demonstrated by Iran during 1965 and 1971, Indo-Pak wars. It also militarily assisted Pakistan in the initial days of its independence. Both became partners of Western backed defense pacts during the initial days of the cold war.

First Pakistani Premier Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan visited Iran in 1949 and Iranian Shah reciprocated that in 1950, as the first foreign head of a state. It is worth mentioning that, Pakistani National Anthem was played first time in the honor of Shah Iran in 1950. In a way there established a relationship of interdependence between both brotherly Islamic countries right from the inception of Pakistan. Thereafter both countries maintained their bilateral relationship in an atmosphere of Islamic brotherhood and as good neighbors, with mutual acceptability. Along with Turkey, Pakistan and Iran established Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), an inter-governmental organization for socio-economic development in the member countries in 1964. The organization was renamed as Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in 1985 and its membership increased to ten in early 1990s by including Central Asian States and Afghanistan. Iran is a rich source of natural resources like oil gas and many others and the other side Pakistan depends on imports of oil and gas.post 9/11 Iran developed their relations with Pakistan. Pakistan’s imports of crude oil from Iran have increased. Also since December 2002 Pakistan has begun the import of electricity from Iran for consumption in Baluchistan. Regarding the future gas pipeline from Iran to India via Pakistan, Pakistan has conveyed its written approval to the project and undertaken to provide international guarantees for the security of the pipeline to India. Many security issues also involve for bad circumstances.

In either of its form, the organization further reinforced the bi-lateral and multi-lateral relationship between Iran, Pakistan, and other regional Muslim countries. Following the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, Pakistan was the first country, which recognized Revolutionary Iranian Government. Pakistan sent a high-level delegation under Foreign Minister to assure Iran that, it intends further cementing its traditional relations with the later. It welcomed the Islamic Revolutionary Government in Iran. President General Ziaul Haq was among the first few heads of states, who visited Iran as a good will gesture in 1980 and again in 1981. During Iran-Iraq war, Pakistan made hectic efforts to negotiate a deal between two Islamic countries to end the war. Indeed, Pakistani suggestions later became the basis for ending the war in 1988. Moreover, Pakistan provided morale and diplomatic support to Iran even during the critical stages of the war that annoyed Iraq and Arab world with it. Pakistan also persuaded Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries to normalize their relations with Iran that at times was viewed with suspicion by these countries. Moreover, it convinced United States not to become hostile to Iran on the issue of its hostages. US indeed wanted to launch a physical attack on Iran to end the crises of its hostages in Iran.

Unfortunately, both countries developed minor divergences over the interim setup in Afghanistan upon withdrawal of Soviet Union and later on the issue of the support to Taliban by Pakistan and Northern Alliance by Iran and India. Considering these differences, Iran did not support Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, once the later was presenting a resolution in United Nations on Human Rights violations in Kashmir in 1996. It was a serious setback to Pakistani efforts and India which had already developed its relations with Iran, got an opportunity “to fish in trouble waters,” for its own strategic interests. Thereafter, Indian spying agency RAW, made inroads into Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan for causing internal destabilization, which is continuing unabated even today.

On its part, Pakistan however, continued maintaining its brotherly relations with Iran. Pakistan always has persuaded Iran on a number of occasions for the reconciliation to shun the differences. Pakistan also tried to convince Iran that the enemies of both have spread these misperceptions, may be for the time being portraying as their friend. It whole-heartedly supported Iranian viewpoint on the issue of its controversial nuclear programmed. Through a progressive reconciliation and diplomatic efforts, both countries come closer to each other in last few years. Regretfully, on October 18, 2009, a suicide attack allegedly of Jundallah militant group killed over forty people including senior commanders of Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in Sistan. In Sep, 2011 Iran closed gate for Pakistan because of 26 killed in terrorist attack in Baluchistan .its impacts on businessmen and trade centers.

The people and the Government of Pakistan strongly criticized the attack and shared the grief and sorrow of the Iranian people over the massive loss of innocent lives. Regretfully, immediately after the terrorist attack, a number of Iranian leaders and high-level officials including supreme leader pointed fingers at Pakistan. Pakistan Government however strongly negated its involvement in the attack and assured Iran for an all out support to trace and punish all those responsible for the attack if found on Pakistani soil. The incident however deteriorated the steadily improving relationship between two brotherly Muslim countries.

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