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On Sunday, Iran closed its border with Pakistan at Taftan. The decision follows a suicide bombing last week in Zahedan, which killed 25 people and left over 125 injured. The Iranian government’s decision has led to the suspension of trade in the region, causing tribes on both sides of the border to suffer food shortages.
What are the political implications of Iran’s decision to close its border?
Is this the first step towards the regional isolation of Pakistan owing to the possibility of militancy spreading beyond its borders? Are regional militant groups trying to stoke sectarian tensions (Jundullah claimed the Zahedan bombing)? Or is Pakistan getting caught up in US-Iran relations? Iran has implied that ‘interfering powers’ be held responsible for the suicide bombing and analysts are suggesting that Iran’s decision is a response to the diplomatic and military connections between Pakistan and America in the context of the war against terror.
everyone must keep in mind, islamic republic of Iran is a brother of Paikistan. Bomb blast in neighbouring iranian province is of course a cowrdly act but it cant spoil our relations. pakistanis love iranians and iranians love pakistanis. to close the border for security concerns is not a big issue .lets come to the important issue. Pakistan is the main victim of terrorism durring some last years. pakistan lost her charismatic leader Bhutto and thousands innocent lives recent years.the point is,which forces are behind these heinous acts and why these evil forces dont want to see my father land on the way of development and prosperity.secondly, what are the causes of recent wave of terrorism,either its political motivated or economic or both. there are many actors on the international stage which want to destablise the nuclear armed soul islamic country. the foremost is the. the root cause of terrorism in south asia is long awaiting unresolved ‘KAashmir Dispute.’ super powers always facilitate the regional disputes for their own interest ,so we shouldnt wait for any body to help us in this case.so, first thing,we should have to improve our economy.this is very important.we should rely on our resorces and stop begging IFIs. secondly, human resource development esp in under developed areas like FATA and Balochistan.
Well, it was not a likeable act by Iran because Iran is our country’s one of the best friend. . . Surely they have sustained heavy loss but friendship should not be dissolved by the shameful act of terrorists. . Iran should resolve this problem with Pakistan administration with dialogues & mutual, supportive act.
You need to look at the regional map and see the situation in region. The USA did not want USSR to get access to warm waters so they created the ‘freedom fighters’. The USA and it supporter already control Iraq and want to control Afghanistan thereby having the freehand to control the neighbouring states, Syria, Palastine and Iran on the East with help of Isreal and Pakistan on the West with the help of India. The key word here is nuclear power, who has it and who wants it!!!
I do not think this Jundullah claim is credible. In these days it is also very easy to fake emails. Soon after Mumbai attack, an email from a banned Pakistan based org. claiming the responsibility was circulating which reportedly was tracked back to Russia and India.
It would appear that in view of direct threats from Israel and indirect threats of attack from the US, Iran wanted to close the boarders with Pakistan, because this is the only area from where an attack could materialize.It could not come from Iraq, Gulf or Russia. They used this attack on the Mosque, which is well inside their borders, as a valid excuse to do so.
There is an Indian proverb: “moonh mein Ram, baghal mein chhuri.” (The name of God on the lip while hiding a knife under the arm.) This applies to America. The latest news is that Obama has sent invitations to Iran officials to attend the US Independence Day reception on July 4. At the same time Jundullah attacks a mosque and shots are fired at President Ahmedinejad’s election office in Zahidan.
According to ABC News, the U.S. has “encouraged and advised” Jundullah, led by a former Taliban fighter and “drug smuggler,” Abd el Malik Regi which has been launching guerrilla raids into Baluchi areas of Iran. These incursions involve kidnappings and terror bombings, as well as the murder (recorded on video) of Iranian prisoners.
Earlier in February 2007 Jundullah took credit for an attack that killed at least 11 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard riding on a bus in Zahedan.
We must learn to co-exist with our neighbors. Today Pakistan is under attack from not only outside but within. Our policy of hatred as enunciated by our political leaders and military are responsible for this. To this I can add China as our enemy. To serve China’s national interest we started our enemity with our brothers in India. To prosper themselves our military propogated the myth that India is the enemy so that they get this free aid from US.Then they created Taliban to have a secondary force and spread a myth that we should have Afghanistan as a backup in case of war. Our hostile attitude towards east Pakistan led to its separation.
During all this, if at all somebody came to our help., then it was USA. Not China. Today, Iran also wants to turn its face away from us. Why ? Atleast USA is helping us to destroy forces inimical to our survival, albeit in their interest. But who will we be dealing with once this is over? Who will be our threats after this phase? Its our neighbours. Afghanistan and Iran should be befriended at the same time lets make a permanent friendship with India. These three are our neighbours. Lets eliminate the terrorists that harass these 3 countries and make a strong relationship with these 3 countries so that we don’t need USA or China, who have landed us in the current trouble.
Pakistan should must work aggressively to eliminate militants from its soil. Pakistan government, military and people would be much better off if we freely trade goods and service with all our neighboring countries not just China but also India, Iran and Afghanistan. It about time that Pakistan should wake up sooner than later. Otherwise, these extremists would destroy Pakistan who has already done lot of damage to Pakistan in the name of “their version” of Islam.
Thanks to Iran for closing the border, which is since long being used for drug and human trafficking and movement of extremists in and out and creating anarchy in Baluchistan.
Until we stop blaming others for our troubles, we wil always remain in trouble! If we cannot see even now that our own home grown extremist mischief makers have turned on us, we may not get another chance. Forget the US, even the entire European Union, Russia and now even China and Iran accuse us of housing international criminals. Do we have friend left? If so, I would like to hear the name? We have annoyed the whole world but complain about not getting support for our cause. What is our cause at present? While at last taking action against people that should have been taken years ago, we don’t want anyone else to point a finger at us. The only way out for us is to raise our hands, admit our past mistakes and sincerely resolve to do something about it. Releasing someone accused of Mumbai killings sends the opposite signal. A signal that has almost become our international logo. Let us not destroy ourselves in our hatred for USA!!!
A little thought will convince anyone that there are hostile forces in the region and from outside with clear geopolitical aims to weaken both Iran and Pakistn for their regional hegemony. These two countries must keep their calm and harmonise their action to fend off these forces.
“Iran spared no time in hanging the culprits”. And that doesn’t strike you as strange? I would assume you would want to question these people. But then again you might not want anyone else to talk to them either. Let me quess, were the executed part of some Sunni or other minority?
We should see this incident in the light of gas deal between Iran and Pakistan. India backed out from this deal after having nuclear deal with USA.
To Ken’s post(June 1st, 2009 at 8:11 pm):
Looks like, in your view, all the problems in the world need to be resolved before Pakistan resolves the issue of Taliban.
It will be too late, my friend, how ever wishful your thinking might be.
I dont know about Israel and Palestine but please do read news from Indian media. Democratic rights were given to Kashmiris. Actually, it is their right, somebody need not ‘give’ them – just as it is not ‘given’ to anyone else in India. Everyone ‘exercises’ their democratic rights in elections.
Because of these democratic rights a top Kashmiri seperatist contested in elections (and he lost). So, the point here is not about India or Kashmir, the point is about Pakistan and it’s survival and what people such as you can do to defend it’s soul.
Iran is a repressive state where minority has no rights, one shall not ignore the role of Iran in helping the Talibans or the so called Baloch nationalist. The fact of the matter of the matter is Pakistan shall seize this opportunity with the help of Americans and capture the Iranian Balochistan. And why shall be afraid that it would push us to isolation, it would be the end of the so called Baloch nationalism as a greater Balochistan would be very much part of the Pakistan. We shall pursue this policy with the help of American as it would be impossible to achive this goal with out there help.
Pakistan is nearing a complete collapse. I hope the Indian Govt sees this and seals Indian Borders. My sincere sympathies with our neighbours but this is in our India’s safety.
India is never interested in attacking Pakistan. Stop Believing the likes of Zaid Hamid.
We have our own issues and want to move towards being an educated, secular and economic power.
I don’t know why Pakistanis are surprised that Iran is suspicious of them. There is a strong Sunni presence in Iranian Balochistan (va Sistan), and there have been past separatist attacks there. Iran views itself as the protector of Shias worldwide. Even in India, it funds Shia schools and organizations. It is not at all uncommon to find Iranian diplomats addressing large Shia gatherings in India in Farsi (which most Indian Shia understand only bits of). The Taliban is/was deadly anti-Shia, to the extent of starving the Hazara, capturing and killing Iranian diplomats, etc. Who was Iran supposed to back except the Northern Alliance?
Plus, on top of that, many Indians have a strong sneaking like of Iranians, regardless of what the Americans want or think. They are an old Indo-European culture, contrasted with the Arabs, with (regardless of whether this is reciprocated or not) linguistic and ancient parallels with Vedic culture (hafta-saptah, asb-ashva, chashm-chaksh, Harahwati-Saraswati, Yasna-Yajna – there are literally thousands of cognates between Sanskrit and Old Pre-Arabicized Farsi). Every Indian learns this in school.
And then the ancient dictum: my neighbor’s neighbor is my friend. This is why Nepal and Sri Lanka cosies with Pakistan, why Japan and Taiwan cosy with India, and why Singapore cosies with Australia and Thailand.
It’s all downright predictable.
All that said, it is impossible for Pakistan to be isolated. How exactly will it be isolated? You speak the same damn languages as us so our cultural programming bleeds into each others. If a Pakistani walks into India and fakes being an Indian, how exactly would we prevent it? We thirst for each other’s goods so much that, even when import is illegal, they are smuggled or indirectly routed through the UAE. Ditto with Afghanistan and the wide-open border on that end. Only Iran and China can really seal their borders because of massive physical barriers (desert and mountains) and linguistic or racial (in the case of china) differences. For Afghanistan and India, sealing Pakistan in is not and has never been a viable option at all. They can want it all they want, but reality prohibits it.
Hello!
ASH,
‘Army the biggest problem for Pakistan’, No, not at all.
Don’t you ever suggest that Pakistan should get rid of the army’s control.
Army provides the best available defence to the country against any internal or external aggression/adventure by the enemy.
If Pakistan is unable to reign in the extremists within, it is risking regional isolation and Balkanization of their country.
Only way forward is to establish friendly relationship with its neighbors and strive to become a secular and inclusive society.
Iran as any other nation would not like terrorism to hurt its national fabric. In Pakistan sadly we have become too complacent with terrorists among us. It is time we wake up and close down all the Saudi funded maderassahs before it consumes our nation. Jundullah is just the beginning.
Its baffling why Pakistan would negotiate with everyone with a gun either to its own head or to the other persons head. There can be no stategic goal achieved with this kind of attitude and approach. I think the leadership simply doesnt want to do the right things for the country and its people and profiting from the misery, which is so shameful and sad to see.
Pakistan should also ask Iran to deny its soil to be used for terrorist activities in Pakistan. Pakistan has offered proof of malicious Indian activities from Indian consulates in Iran multiple times yet Tehran continues to ignore them. Tehran must know that it is a two-way road.
Unfortunate is the only word for our country. We need to know what it takes to become a righteous and self-dependant nation even after so many years. Even today money to run the day to day affairs comes from people that are despised. Iran has closed its physical border now, while others have already closed them long ago. Can we wake up to the reality?
Pakistan does not need Iran. Iran is a third world country with lot of sanctions. Just wait for them beg pakistan to open the border again…
Decision by Iran to close Pakistani border is a good one. Pakistan is international hub of terrorism. Iran shouldnot take any risk by allowing terrorist Pakistanis to enter into Iran and do suicide bombing.
Even China who is very close to Pakistan politically, do not give visas to Pakistani people.
I am an Indian Muslim.
Its time Pakistan chaged its mindset towards India and be friends with it.
Indians no more view Pakistan as an “enemy”. Pakistanis seem to do so. India has moved on and Pakistan is not on its radar any more except for the implications o Pakistan based terrorism spilling over to India. Pakistanis may find it difficult to believe that Indian Muslims are very proud to be Indians and would never go against India because of any Muslim brotherhood etc. For us, country comes first and religion comes after that. Religion is a personal affair. I do read about the canard fed in Pakistan about Muslims in India being mistreated, not having freedom to practice Islam etc. We feel that Indian Islam would eventually be the role model for all other muslims in the world. Moderate, open to question and discussions ( due to the democratic traditions in India), Progressive and giving freedom to individuals. Muslims are treated with kid gloves in India ( due to their voting power as they are nearly 20% and no govrenment can be formed without their support). One Muslim woman raped is fromt page news here. 20 Hindu women being raped would not even make it to the news anywhere. A Indian Muslim student harassed abroad would have our Foreign Minister flying out. Hindu student facing the same thing would get a “statement” from Foerign Ministry. So sensitive is the country about its minorities that it is embarrasing at times. But thats how a democracy works. We muslims feel privillaged to be pasrt of such a tolerant society. Wish Pakistan would have treated its minorities the same way, it would have been a much more tolerant society instead trying to Islamsize everybody.
Pakistan seems to be realising that as I see any number of articles saying that its time Pakistan became a secular and tolerant country with religion being separated from the State.
Good example is Kashmir. We have completely free elections there and people are free to elect the so called “Mujahidin” , “Militants” or “Freedom fighters” as their rulers. But they do not. One of the biggest leaders of separatism Sajjad Lone stood for elections and lost. If Pakistan Kashmir had elections also , Pakistanis will be shocked. They may all vote against candidates supported by Pakistan establishment and “Freedom Fighters”. Test it out.