Javed Rana: Iran, Pakistan Joining Hands for Regional Stability

Speaking in an interview with FNA, Javed Rana said, “The renewed contacts between Pakistan and Iran at both political and military level indicate on how both countries need each other given the changing political and geo-strategic dynamics in the region after the disgraceful exit of the US-led NATO from neighboring Afghanistan.”

“In the backdrop of renewed terror threats, there appears to be greater consensus between Pakistan and Iran on developing mechanism to cooperate on common threat of Daesh”, he added.

Regarding the downgrade of the US-Pakistan relations, Javed Rana said, “No longer Pakistan is willing to trust the US… For the first time, US top officials like CIA chief were refused to have meeting with the Prime Minister Imran Khan indicating a sea change on how Islamabad deals with the US which is no longer a super power.”

Javed Rana has over two decades of journalistic experience, including reporting for Aljazeera and Press TV. He has reported countless developments in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the West Asian region. He focuses on legal, political and geopolitical issues.

Below is the full text of the interview:

Q: How do you view the role of Afghanistan’s neighboring states, mainly China, Pakistan and Iran, in getting the war-torn country back to normal?

A: With the return of the Taliban in power in Kabul, Daesh has intensified its terror campaign against both Taliban and Shia Muslim communities in Afghanistan. Similarly, there is also a surge of terror attacks in bordering regions of Pakistan from Afghanistan. In the backdrop of renewed terror threats, there appears to be greater consensus between Pakistan and Iran on developing mechanism to cooperate on common threat of Daesh which is suspected to be playing into the hands of US, India and remnants of the former West-backed Afghan government. The Taliban government is a proven potent military to tackle Daesh which has decentralized itself and playing into the hands of anti-Taliban and anti-Iran elements in the region and beyond. Since Taliban are sworn enemy of Daesh, therefore, it is obvious that neighboring countries would have to depend onto them to tackle this threat.

In the context of US-China cold war, Beijing has been creating conducive conditions to build up a regional block with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey and Russia to counter the US and its strategic ally India with which Beijing’s lingering border tension can potentially trigger into full conflict. This means, China would need support from regional countries to counter US and its allies. Beijing understandably feels threatened after the US signed nuclear powered submarine deal with Australia. After the exit from Afghanistan, Washington has shifted its focus along with Britain, India, Australia, Japan and some other smaller southeastern nations to the Indo-Pacific to counter China particularly from South China Sea. The US Air Force has also deployed its swing-wing bombers — B-1 Lancers to the Indo-Pacific to contain an economically rising China which tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile in August demonstrating its advanced space capability. This has made Beijing the only global power capable of launching a nuclear attack from the space. Therefore, battle lines have already been drawn in Asia and it is a matter of time when a regional block spearheaded by China would formalize its shape and scope.

In the event of possible China’s naval blockade, it has viable routes through the West Asia along with sea ports of Iran and Pakistan. Therefore, Beijing needs regional help particularly of Pakistan which links key parts of China’s Build and Road Initiative to Chinese Xinjiang Province to maintain its supplies from rest of the world.

Q: How do you find the US’ abrupt message of downgrading relations with Pakistan?

A: Over the last 15 years, Pakistan thickened its ties with China economically and militarily knowing well in advance that the US would desert it after exiting from Afghanistan. Over the years Pakistan largely synced its defense system with China which the invested tens of billions of US dollars into Pakistan’s economy. Beijing built railway lines, road infrastructure and energy projects after constructing a new port in southwestern Pakistan linking it to China through country’s northern corridors. Washington has been pressuring Islamabad to slowdown these mega projects to contain the rise of China which critically depends on Pakistan for the passage of its alternative supply route. Upon refusal, the US has now downgraded its tied and threatening Pakistan to place Islamabad under sanctions. However, no longer Pakistan is willing to trust the US which is not ready to invest in Pakistan in a big way unlike China. And more importantly the US already has a geo-strategic alliance with India with which Pakistan had three wars, therefore, Islamabad is withstanding American pressure to abandon its friendship with China. For the first time, US top officials like CIA chief were refused to have meeting with the Prime Minister Imran Khan indicating a sea change on how Islamabad deals with the US which is no longer a super power after a clear rise of China economically and militarily following unprecedented military defeat of Americans along with Europeans under the fold of the NATO in Afghanistan. The world is now unipolar.

Q: Iran and Pakistan held a number of meetings on parliamentary and military levels. How do you think this will affect the region?

A: The renewed contacts between Pakistan and Iran at both political and military level indicate on how both countries need each other given the changing political and geo-strategic dynamics in the region after the disgraceful exit of the US-led NATO from neighboring Afghanistan. Tehran and Islamabad have planned joint military exercises and have advanced their negotiations to contain the movement of smugglers and militants on their shared 1000-kilometer-long border. Both countries expect that the new government in Kabul would bring an end to poppy cultivation in Afghanistan which is key source of prohibited drugs smuggled into Pakistan and Iran. The Taliban brought down the poppy cultivation to two percent when they were in power 20 years ago. But it went up to 87 percent during 20 years long US military occupation indicating a role of American CIA in dirty business to fund its intelligence operations through drug smuggling. Now Pakistan and Iran need to join hands to encourage the Taliban to reverse growth of poppy. Similarly, bilateral trade between two countries is hardly one billion US dollars which both sides are eager to increase hoping restoration of peace in region after Taliban recaptured Afghanistan.