Roving Periscope: In Iran, Shehbaz talks India; Tehran talks Gaza!
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: While several Indian parliamentary delegations are travelling the world to expose Pakistan’s cohabitation with terror, Islamabad is also crying hoarse against terrorism, shedding copious tears to prove its ‘innocence.’
The difference is stark. While India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the chiefs of the Army, Air Force, and Navy are busy in their daily work at home, Pakistan has sent out its delegation virtually being led by its so-called “Field Marshal” Army chief Asim Munir—with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also thrown in for photo ops.
This is, perhaps, the first time in world diplomacy where an elected PM is being almost led by an unelected Army chief in diplomatic delegations.
On Tuesday, one such delegation reached Iran, a year after the two frenemies conducted airstrikes in each other’s territory. In Tehran, the Pakistanis met the political leadership and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei—who merely said, in public remarks, that Iran hopes disputes between India and Pakistan are resolved.
According to the media reports, during his meeting with Khamenei, Sharif tried to raise the issue of Operation Sindoor, even appreciating Iran’s “positive role” during the conflict. But Iran coldly poured cold water on his efforts.
During a joint press conference with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Sharif said Pakistan is ready to talk with India “to find solutions” to “long-standing problems,” including Kashmir, water-sharing and trade.
“We are ready to talk, for the sake of peace on water issues with our neighbour. We are ready to talk to promote trade and also, counter-terrorism. We wanted peace, we want peace and we will work for peace in the region through talks, on the table, and resolve our outstanding issues,” Sharif said, The Dawn reported.
“But if they accept my offer of peace, then we will show that we really want peace, seriously and sincerely.”
Iran’s response was formal and measured. “We are delighted with the end of conflicts between Pakistan and India and hope that the differences between the two countries will be resolved,” Khamenei said on X.
Iranian state-run media outlet, IRNA, reported that President Pezeshkian voiced Iran’s support for a durable ceasefire between India and Pakistan, calling for dialogue to resolve disputes and promote peace.
While Shehbaz expected Iran to support a ‘brotherly Muslim’ Pakistan against India, Tehran deftly diverted the issue to Gaza—and, instead, sought Islamabad’s support against other Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia!
According to a report in The Tehran Times, Khamenei acknowledged that Pakistan has not joined the countries normalising ties with Israel in “a blatant betrayal of the Palestinian cause” despite Western pressure.
“While there have been temptations for Islamic countries to engage with the Zionist regime in recent years, Pakistan has never succumbed to these temptations.” The Palestine issue is the foremost concern of the Islamic world. “The situation in Gaza has reached a point where ordinary people in Europe and the United States are protesting against their governments, yet unfortunately, some Islamic governments stand alongside the Zionist regime under these circumstances,” he said.
The Dawn reported that Israeli actions have caused untold misery for the people of Gaza. “It is high time the international community used its influence to bring a lasting ceasefire in Palestine. Pakistan stands by its brothers and sisters in Iran to promote peace, progress and prosperity,” he said.
Incidentally, both Iran and Pakistan are virtually isolated from the rest of the world, even among the Islamic countries. They are also at cold war against each other on several issues. For example, Iran carried out airstrikes in January 2024 in Pakistan’s border province of Baluchistan to target the Jaish al-Adl group, which has targeted Iranian border guards in the past. A Sunni Salafi organisation, Jaish al-Adl is a terrorist group that wants independence of Sistan and Baluchistan province in Iran. Pakistan retaliated with airstrikes in Iran, targeting militant outfit Baloch Liberation Front (BLF).
Their isolation may have brought them together on select issues—for now. But Pakistan, predominantly Sunni, cannot go too close to Iran, which is Shia-dominated, and earn displeasure of the Sunni Arab world.
Khamenei said in a post on X that relations between Iran and Pakistan have always been “warm and brotherly.” “Pakistan’s commendable stance during the war Saddam imposed on Iran is a clear example of these brotherly relations,” he said. That was some two decades ago!
India has been balancing Iran relations for long. For example, amid the ongoing Operation Sindoor on May 9, New Delhi hosted Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi for the 20th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting and reviewed bilateral ties. During this meeting, co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Araghchi, the two sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and called for enhanced regional cooperation to combat the threat. Dr Jaishankar also briefed the Iranian minister on Operation Sindoor.
Earlier, in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, Iran had offered to mediate between India and Pakistan. But India asserted that its conflict with Pakistan is a bilateral issue.
