Geopolitics

Iran-Pakistan Relations – turbulent times
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Issue Net Edition | Date : 18 Jul , 2017

The Iran-Pakistan relations face turbulent times, the major reason being the same as in India-Pakistan and Afghanistan-Pakistan relations; Pakistan sponsored terrorism.  In May this year, Iran warned Pakistan that it would hit terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan if the Pakistani Government does not confront militants who carry out cross-border attacks.

Iran has reportedly been attacked by the Jaish-al-Adl (JA) terrorist group (Sunni group) several times, escaping back into Pakistani territory immediately after the attack. Jaish-al-Adl says their attacks are because of discrimination against minority groups in Iran. The group had claimed responsibility for killing 14 Iranian border guards in October 2013. In a similar cross-border attack in April 2015, another eight Iranian border guards were killed, with JA claiming responsibility.

Recently, on 26 April 2017, Iran claimed 11 of its border guards were killed and two injured near the town of Mirjaveh in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan by “long-range guns” from across its border in Balochistan; the firing coming from Pakistani territory.

As per Iranian reports, these attacks were perpetrated by JA, which has bases in Balochistan. This attack led to Major General Mohammad Baqeri, Chief of Iranian Armed Forces, stating,  that “enemies” were trying to make up for their failures through hiring terrorists to target Iran’s borders or interests. He said the method was that of “cowardly thieves and bandits” and would only bring the enemies “humiliation and ignominy.” He went on to say the border area on the Pakistani side has “unfortunately” turned into a haven and training ground for “Saudi-hired terrorists, who enjoy the US endorsement.” Baqeri said Iran “cannot accept the continuation of this situation,” adding, “We expect the Pakistani officials to control the borders, arrest the terrorists and shut down their bases …. If the terrorist attacks continue, we will hit with crushing blows their safe havens and cells, wherever they are.”

There is striking similarity with what Afghanistan has been repeatedly asking Pakistan to do – shut down terrorist bases on Pakistani soil. However, when Pakistan has institutionalized export of terror as its foreign policy, why would it pay any heed to such repeated requests?

Significantly, Baqeri’s stern warning came after the Iranian border police stating that “the Pakistani government bears the ultimate responsibility for the attack”, followed by a statement from the official spokesman for the Iranian Foreign ministry contending that “the Pakistani government should be held accountable for the presence and operation of these vicious groups on its soil”. However, Baqeri’s statement indicating possible retaliation was responded to by Pakistan in summoning the Iranian ambassador and expressing disappointment over such statements by Iranian officials that were “against the spirit of brotherly relations”.

According to Pakistani media, Pakistan has made it unequivocally clear that any cross-border attack or movement of Iranian border forces into Pakistan would be a violation of international law; accurate rendition of international law under which armed reprisals by Iran against non-state actors residing in Pakistan would infringe on Article 2(4) of the UN Charter because, without the consent of Pakistan, these attacks would undermine Pakistan’s territorial sovereignty. Pakistan gave the usual excuse that Pakistan in no way controls the day-to-day operations of JA.

Then on 21 June 2017, Pakistan shot down an Iranian drone after it was reportedly found flying inside its territory. Pakistani foreign office stated, “The drone was hit by Pakistan Air Force as it was unidentified and was flying at around 3-4km inside Pakistani territory,” Pakistan says information about striking down of this drone was shared with Iranian authorities indicating that the drone was struck down by “our security forces as it was unmarked and there was no prior information about its flight.” This being the first time ever that an Iranian drone has been shot down by Pakistan, the long-term implications are unlikely to help Iran-Pakistan relations.

Later in July this year, Iranian border guards fired mortar shells into Pakistani territory near the Panjgur border in Balochistan.  The shells landed almost 1.5 km inside Pakistani territory. This is not the first time, Iran has had to resort to firing mortars into Pakistan.

More recently on 15 July 2017, terrorists based in Pakistan opened fire at Saravan region of the Iranian borders in southeastern Iran with light and curve fire guns killing two Iranian workers. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’ Ground Force (IRGC) retaliated by killing one terrorist and injuring two while another two fled inside Pakistan.

Pakistan shares a 900 km porous border with Iran and the two countries had in 2014 decided to boost intelligence coordination to wipe out terrorists from the border region. But Pakistan uses proxies to her strategic advantage only. That is why Iran replacing its 700 km border fence with Pakistan with 10 feet high, three feet thick concrete wall. Iran is also deeply concerned about: Pak proxies attacking and operating in Iran and Afghanistan;  Pakistani military actions against Shias in Baluchistan; Pak efforts to Talibanize Afghanistan that would bring them in direct confrontation with Northern Alliance supported by Iran; Pakistan Taliban (linked to Pakistan’s ISI) fighting alongside ISIS in Iraq, Syria and now Afghanistan.

Pakistan all along has been playing the card of ‘Muslim Brothers’ with Iran. However, Iran is increasingly upset over Pakistan’s decision to join the Saudi-led military alliance against terrorism, and Raheel Sharif, former Pakistani army chief heading this Sunni coalition; the Islamic Military Alliance (IMA) with 41 members nations comprising all Sunni-dominated governments. Given the importance of the CPEC, China is exerting herself to better Iran-Pakistan relations. Recently, a joint China-Pakistan joint naval exercise in the Arabian Sea was immediately followed up with a joint China-Iran naval exercise in the Persian Gulf.

However, Iran views IMA as the Saudi Arabia efforts to take the leading role in the Middle East and the Muslim world, IMA being an anti-Shia alliance under the shadow of closer US-Saudi relations and Pakistan continuing to export terror under cover of “not being in control of various terrorist groups”. Geopolitics and incidents like Pakistan alleging Kulbhushan Jadhav was indulging in anti-Pakistan activities have made Iran-Pakistan relations more complicated.

The Pakistani media has been trying to build the perception that Raheel Sharif is trying to include Iran into the IMA, which is highly unlikely given the dynamics that have ruled the Arab World through centuries. This perception is perhaps being built to dupe the US into believing how sincere Pakistan is. However it is as absurd as Ashfaq Kayani, Pakistani army chief during 2010 trying to make believe the US that the Haqqani network would be willing to split and denounce Al Qaeda, which had led Michael Hughes to write, “In a movement that should have floored US policymakers, Kayani was brazen enough to try and inveigle Afghanistan to strike a power-sharing arrangement with the Haqqanis. And Kayani, apparently the spokesperson for the Haqqani group, said they’d be willing to split from and denounce Al Qaeda, which is President Obama’s primary rationale for the war. However, there is a higher probability of General Kayani converting to Hinduism than there is of the Haqqani Network ever being decoupled from Al Qaeda.”

As the Af-Pak region heats up with China racing into the Indian Ocean Region, it would be interesting to watch which direction future Iran-Pakistan relations proceed.

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The views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the Indian Defence Review.

About the Author

Lt Gen Prakash Katoch

is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army.

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