Pakistan has always played an important role due to its strategic location. Both Pakistan and Iran are Muslim countries and leading players of South West Asia. Iran is also neighbour of Pakistan and both share a common border. Pakistan-Iran share 564 mile long border. When Pakistan became an independent state on 14th August, 1947 Iran was the first country that accorded official recognition to the independence of Pakistan.
As we know, Pakistan wanted good and friendly relations with other countries in the world but to maintain strong relations with the Muslim states. Pakistan has brotherly relations with Iran and wants to develop strong relationship to maintain regional stability. Pakistan, Iran and Turkey also formed an organisation known as Regional Co-operation Development (RCD) in 1960s.
More importantly, RCD served as indication to the Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO), formed in 1985. Pakistan and Iran collaborated on development project as Iran-Pakistan-Indian Gas Pipe Line (IPI) but India would create problems for Pakistan trying to meet its energy demands. During the first decade of its independence, Pakistan had an alliance relationship with Iran under the Shah, who extended critical moral and material support to Pakistan during its hours of need.
Pakistan and Iran established friendly and brotherly relations, which was based on religious, cultural, political historical and economic ties, which led towards stability and prosperity at regional level. The major tipping points of the 1979 and terrorist attack of 9/11 had negative impact on Pakistan-Iran ties because Iran doesn't have friendly relation with USA, since the Iranian Islamic Revolution.
Tehran and Islamabad wanted to improve bilateral relations after the Taliban's 2001 fall. Iran has tried to project itself as a responsible regional actor and advised the Afghan Northern Alliance to accept the Bonn agreement for the formation of a new broad-based government in Kabul, also offering aid and loans as well as training Afghan soldiers.
There are some factors which strained Pakistan-Iran relationship. Afghanistan factor is a main bone of contention to make their relation uneasy. A serious problem which Pakistan-Iran faced was illicit drug trafficking and the transfer of arms, which is the main source of financial support to the extremist group and they entered from Iran to Afghanistan to Pakistan and the same in reverse order.
A sectarian tension has also complicated relations. Pakistan and Iran faced long history of ethnic rivalry like Sunni Shia's dispute. Baluch insurgency is also another factor Baluch tribesman were living in South Western Pakistan and South Eastern Iran, but the issue is that Baluch on both sides of border were neglected on sectarian ground as well as on ethnic ground. So, their rights were suppressed, Nationalist emotions have long rumbled sometimes erupting into an open insurrection.
The nuclear proliferation issue also obscures Pakistan-Iran ties and it creates negative impact on their bilateral relationship. Recently, Jundullah conducted a suicide attack against the Iranian Revolutionary Guards near Pakistan border. Iran claimed USA involvement in this terrorist activity to destabilise the Iranian Government, and Iran suspects that Pakistan supported USA in this terrorist activity.
Pakistan cleared her point of view that they are also fighting against terrorist and extremist in their own country, to clear their own Northern Area, to nip the evil in the bud. In addition, both countries can find political solution to local problems such as the Baluch insurgency and boost energy trade. The IPI project is workable and beneficial for both states, and more importantly, the revenues from the pipeline could be used to assist the development of Baluchistan opening the door to progress on Baluch problem.