Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to Iran is not expected to usher in a new era in ties because of his limited powers but can bring positive results for both sides, a former diplomat said.
"It cannot be said that the Pakistani premier's recent trip could open a new chapter in the relationship between Iran and Pakistan, despite his campaign promises," Abdolmohammad Taheri, who formerly served as a chargé d'affaires in Afghanistan, told the Iranian Diplomacy website.
Khan traveled to Iran late last month for a two-day visit—the first since he took office last August—to discuss security and regional issues with senior Iranian officials.
According to President Hassan Rouhani, the two countries agreed to form a joint taskforce to combat militant activity on their shared border.
In his victory speech last year, Imran Khan, the former cricket star-turned-politician, said his party is keen to have closer relations with Iran and expressed willingness to play a mediating role between Tehran and Riyadh.
Taheri, an expert on Pakistan and Afghanistan, maintains that the trip does not mark a milestone in relations as Pakistan's military and its premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence, have a strong say in Islamabad's diplomatic, security and foreign policy strategies.
"Therefore, Pakistan's president and prime minister have the least influence and power in determining the country's diplomatic strategies," he said, adding that this is the reason why Khan's visit could not be seen as a turning point.
"However, this trip could have great benefits for both countries and is indicative of Pakistan's flexibility."
Deeper Insight
The former diplomat also noted that Islamabad has gained a better understanding of Iran's "security, military and strategic power" in West Asia after it played a crucial role in dealing major blows to the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group that had captured vast territories in Iraq and Syria.
Taheri said Pakistan does not want to have a tense relationship with one of the most important powers in the Middle East, adding that moving away from the Islamic Republic would also mean closer ties between Tehran and New Delhi, Pakistan's arch-rival.
Relations between Iran and Pakistan have been strained in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of not doing enough to combat militants sheltering across the border.
Nozar Shafiei, a political analyst, said the Pakistani premier's visit shows that the Islamabad government cannot afford to ignore Iran, which is a major power in the Middle East and West Asia, in its foreign policy calculations, particularly given the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India.
Shafiei also said this indicates that shared social, cultural and historical roots between Tehran and Islamabad have a stronger role in shaping the future of ties than transient factors such as change of governments, the rise to power of new politicians and formation of fresh coalitions.
"This issue is evident in the fact that despite tensions in Tehran-Islamabad ties over the years, their relations have never worsened to the point of crisis or to the point of no return," Shafiei said.
