Background
In January this year, tit-for-tat missile strikes across the porous border region of Balochistan ratcheted up tensions between Pakistan and Iran.
Visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will start his three-day visit to Pakistan starting Monday (Apr 22), as the two nations seek to mend ties following cross-border strikes last year. Raisi will land in Islamabad and meet his Pakistani counterpart, Asif Ali Zardari. Iranian foreign ministry said Sunday that Raisi will be accompanied by “a high-level delegation comprising the foreign minister… as well as a large business delegation.”
Recent Events
In January this year, tit-for-tat missile strikes across the porous border region of Balochistan ratcheted up tensions between Pakistan and Iran. Iran said it conducted strikes against an anti-Iran group based in Pakistan. Then, Pakistan retaliated and conducted raids against “militant targets” in the Sistan-Balochistan province of the Shi’ite nation. This is one of the few Sunni Muslim regions in the country. The attacks came as both nations traded allegations of harbouring terrorists on their soil. Earlier, the Iranian foreign minister had visited Islamabad to diffuse tensions.
Visit Details
In the Monday to Wednesday visit, Raisi will also pay a visit to Lahore and Karachi to meet provincial leaders. The countries will further strengthen ties and enhance cooperation in “trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, and people-to-people contacts”, a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry added.
Gas Project and Economic Cooperation
Pakistan is hoping to secure a joint gas project with Iran, in order to get rid of its long-running power crisis that has sapped its economic growth. In March 2013, a $7.5-billion Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline was indeed signed but the project fell prey to international sanctions imposed on Tehran. Iran has built its own portion of the 1,800-kilometer (1,100-mile) pipeline, which was supposed to link its South Pars gas fields to the Pakistani city of Nawabshah, near Karachi. In February, Pakistan’s outgoing caretaker government approved the construction of an 80km portion of the pipeline.
Regional Dynamics
The visit comes in the wake of increased Israel-Iran tensions as Tehran counts on its allies to lend its diplomatic support against the common enemy.
