Iran-Pakistan security dialogues deepened after 12-day war
Recent developments and the frequent visits of senior Iranian and Pakistani officials, particularly after Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, have paved the way for more security dialogues between Tehran and Islamabad. Syed Ali Abbas, a research officer at the Center for International Strategic Studies in Islamabad, has told Iran Daily that such dialogues not only improve security stability but could also lay the groundwork for greater cooperation under the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the formation of a collective security architecture in Southwest Asia.
IRAN DAILY: How significantly can the renewed political will in ECO strengthen economic and security cooperation between Iran and Pakistan in the coming years?
Abbas: The renewed political attention to ECO, including Iranian FM [Abbas] Araghchi’s emphasis on its potential, comes at a time when both Pakistan and Iran are looking for regional economic cooperation framework. For Pakistan, ECO has always been a natural platform to advance its vision of regional connectivity and geo-economics.
If this political will is translated into implementation, it can strengthen Pakistan-Iran cooperation in three practical ways. First, by putting into operation already agreed measures such as border markets, facilitated customs procedures and improved transport links, ECO can help increase bilateral trade and embed it in wider regional supply chains. Second, ECO offers a useful umbrella for energy, transit and even digital connectivity projects that link Pakistan’s ports to Iran, Central Asia and Turkey, which is consistent with Pakistan’s own policy directions. Third, as economic interdependence grows, it can create a more favourable environment for cooperation on shared security concerns along the Pakistan-Iran border, including terrorism, smuggling and narcotics.
For Pakistan, ECO’s primary vocation lies in economic cooperation and connectivity. Within that broad framework, there is also space for some calibrated security-related collaboration, for instance, technical working groups on border management, disaster response and counter-terrorism, anti-narcotics cooperation developed in a manner that fully respects the priorities of all member states.
Pakistan openly supported Iran during the 12-day war with Israel. What does this alignment mean for possible defence and security collaboration within the ECO framework?
Pakistan’s position during the 12-day crisis was guided by long-standing principles of the UN Charter. Islamabad expressed solidarity with the Iranian people, voiced concern over the use of force and violations of international law, and reiterated its consistent stance on the need to protect civilians and uphold the rights of the Palestinian people, a continuity with Pakistan’s broader approach to conflicts in the Middle East.
That episode has nonetheless contributed to a higher level of political trust and dialogue between Pakistan and Iran. It has reinforced the space for more structured discussions on border security, counter-terrorism, smuggling and the protection of critical infrastructure, where both sides face similar threats and share an interest in stability.
Within ECO, Pakistan’s emphasis naturally falls on economic cooperation and connectivity. In that context, it sees value in “soft” and functional forms of security collaboration, such as information-sharing on terrorism and organised crime, coordinated disaster management, maritime safety and the protection of trade corridors.
Frequent high-level visits especially the recent one by Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani have deepened Tehran-Islamabad bilateral security dialogue. Can these bilateral gains be scaled up into a genuine multilateral security mechanism inside ECO?
Recent high-level engagements, including the visit of Dr Ali Larijani, have certainly given greater depth and structure to the Pakistan-Iran security dialogue. Discussions have focused on counter-terrorism, border stability, developments in Gaza, and the need to remove impediments to economic cooperation while working towards an ambitious trade target. This reflects a maturing bilateral relationship in which political, economic and security tracks are increasingly interlinked.
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