Iran has send a message to Pakistan that it would not allow India or any other country to use Chabahar against Pakistan, said a senior Iranian diplomat, who requested not to be named so that he could speak freely on the subject, Tribune has reported.
Such a firsthand account of close cooperation between Pakistan and Iran is unusual and represents a significant shift in the two neighbours’ ties, which have often been marred by a trust deficit and mutual suspicion.
The turnaround is also important when seen alongside Pakistan’s participation in the Saudi-led counterterrorism coalition. Iran, which is not part of the grouping, considers the initiative an attempt to further Saudi Arabia’s agenda in the region.
That is one of the reasons that Pakistan has been treading a careful path on the issue as it has the potential to undermine ties with Iran.
Despite any allusions to a gulf, Islamabad and Tehran have been moving closer to each other, and diplomats on either side feel that the two sides understand and appreciate each other’s perspective.
Pakistan, according to official sources, has given firm assurances to Iran that Islamabad would not become part of an initiative that targets the Islamic Republic.
Tehran, in return, has pledged that it would not allow any regional country including India to undermine Pakistan’s interests.
Far from India’s portrayal of Chabahar Port, Iran does not see it as a rival to Gwadar Port.
After the inauguration of the first phase, Indian officials and commentators began presenting it as a major strategic victory to sidestep Pakistan.
But the Iranian diplomat played down the India hype as ‘psychological warfare.’ He said the Iranian president has already mentioned that Chabahar and Gwadar ports would complement each other in the future and that a memorandum of understanding to this effect has already been signed.
This unprecedented bonhomie did not happen overnight but after months of rigorous efforts from both sides. The visit of army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was the culmination of those efforts.
“It was an excellent, excellent visit,” emphasised the diplomat. The two sides developed a broader understanding of bilateral ties and key regional developments.
He added that military and intelligence cooperation have deepened greatly in the past few months as officials from the security establishments on either side of the border speak to each other more often, something that was not possible just a few years ago.