Pakistan is hope |
Why is Pakistan taking such a keen interest in the negotiations between Iran and the United States? What does it stand to gain? The question is being asked with a certain edge. It deserves a clear answer.
At a time when much of the Western world has chosen to sit this one out, Pakistan could have done the same. It would not have been difficult to keep its distance, issue a few routine statements when needed, and move on. With Europe largely disengaged and even the United Nations sounding weary and ineffective, Pakistan could have looked the other way and carried on as if nothing serious was at stake. So why did it pick up this heavy burden?
The answer is straightforward. Pakistan’s interest rests on two main considerations.
First, Pakistan believes it understands the larger game at play. It is looking beyond the immediate headlines. From Islamabad’s vantage point, the real architect of this conflict is rooted in a broader regional design, one that seeks to turn tensions into a wider confrontation between Iran and the Arab world. That outcome, if it had materialised, would have set the region on fire. Pakistan moved early to prevent that slide. It engaged Iran, and it encouraged restraint elsewhere, including in Riyadh. The fact that this situation did not spiral into a full regional rupture, and that backchannel contacts managed to soften positions, is not accidental. Pakistan played its part.
At its core, this is about preventing the Muslim world from tearing itself apart. The fear is simple. If internal divisions of Muslum Ummah harden into open conflict, the region becomes a battlefield while others watch from a distance. Pakistan’s first motivation, therefore, is to stop that from happening.
The second reason is more direct. It concerns Iran itself. Iran is Pakistan’s neighbour. The two countries have lived side by side for decades, through good times and difficult ones. If a negotiated path can avert destruction in the neighbouring countries, why would Pakistan not support it? Islamabad’s preference has been clear. Let diplomacy take its course. Let the situation stabilise. Let it not drift toward regime change or collapse. There is nothing unreasonable in that position.
Every state pursues its interests. There is nothing unusual about that. The real question is what kind of interests are being pursued.........