Thread by @StarOfHilal

PAKISTAN & IRAN

Neutrality has neutered Pakistan's relations with former Gulf allies.

Pakistan's now obvious lack of deterrence exposing lack of options!

1979 marked the beginning of the Iranian regime that we see today. What has Pakistan learned?

https://twitter.com/Natsecjeff/status/1363856765826207757?s=19

In 1979, after the Grand Mosque seizure in Pakistan's ally Saudi Arabia, Ayatollah Khomeini, told radio listeners, "It is not beyond guessing that this is the work of criminal American imperialism and international Zionism."

Unsurprisingly, there was a reaction in Pakistan

In Islamabad, Pakistan, on the day following the takeover, the U.S. embassy in that city was overrun by a mob, which burned the embassy to the ground. This soured relations between the Cold War allies the same year the Soviets would begin their invasion of Afghanistan.

This should have served as a warning as to how much the Iranian regime, through anti imperialist & warped Islamist rhetoric could affect Pakistan. Pakistan, with its large Shia minority & extremist pan Islamist population, was so very easy to bully.

The Iranian Revolution greatly worried Pakistan's closest ally, Saudi Arabia & pushed the two Muslim countries into a stronger embrace: Saudi needed military muscle that only Pakistan could provide, to offset Iran, Pakistan needed Saudi Arabia's financial support.

A marriage of convenience that greatly benefitted both sides. Pakistan is assumed to have stationed 20,000 soldiers in Saudi Arabia during the 80s, while the Iran-Iraq war was going on. Saudi has helped Pak survive through their financial power & goodwill for Pak's security help.

Despite propping up Saudi during the war, Pakistan supported Iran during the Iran-Iraq war. Saddam's Iraq funded Baloch terrorists in Pakistan & supported India on Kashmir. An example showing supporting Iran harmed Pakistan's relations with fellow Muslim countries.

Saddam might have supported the Baloch terrorists in Pakistan, but Iran took over from them in collaboration with India. Iran & India conspired against Pakistan via Balochistan & Indian spy Kulbhushan was arrested after plotting with Iran to cause mayhem in Pakistan.

Despite being a close ally of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan opted & opts to claim neutrality, which some argue is in Islamabad's interests due to sectarianism & Iran being a "friendly" neighbour. The reality is, this is untrue, as is proven time & time again.

Ironic is that Pakistan's support for Saudi Arabia is one of the principle reasons for Iran's paranoia against their far more militarily muscular neighbour. Yet, Pak has chosen to take the path of neutrality, which is now showing Pak to be unworthy of investment from the Gulf.

When Pakistan decided to abstain from the Yemen War, the Saudis launched IMCTC, which is headed by ex Pakistan COAS Raheel Sharif. This aimed to help streamline Saudi Arabia's operations in Yemen. Pakistanis saw this as Islamically important.

Saudi Arabia were furious with Pakistan, as the Yemen war is their crunch moment & their huge investment in Pakistan for security reasons turned out to be somewhat wasted. This has soured relations badly, despite Riyadh always keeping the door open.

The benefits for Pakistan would have been numerous, but I'll abstain from talking on them. If Pakistan didn't help Saudi Arabia in their utmost crucial moment, despite great rewards, why should Saudi & the Gulf bother with Pakistan?

The truth is, Saudi Arabia & their recruited mercenaries were unable to affect Yemen positively, leading to widespread catastrophe in order to preserve their security. Pakistan's vastly superior involvement would have MASSIVELY reduced Yemeni casualties- a truly Islamic cause.

In the end, due to the Iranian threat, the Gulf has now courted Israel increasingly, limiting Pakistan's importance even more. All in all, Pakistan's neutrality on the Iran-Saudi cold war has led to more deaths in Yemen & the Gulf flocking to Israel.

Pakistan's neutrality can be blamed on the very real "Iran lobby" as well as genuine fears over potential sectarianism via Iran's influence. But Iran's influence is stronger than necessary because Pakistan has refused to take a strong stance with them.

Even when Iranian border guards conducted an operation in Pakistan, the response was weak. Please read this thread to know just how much appeasement the Pakistanis will do for Iranian interference in Pakistan. Pakistan will lie to keep Iran happy.

https://twitter.com/StarOfHilal/status/1357351333288947715?s=19

Now, forget clandestine operations and proxy wars, the Iranians have openly killed people in Pak territory. How does Pak justify this, after resoundingly responding to Indian on 27Feb19? Even much more powerful India doesn't so brazenly attack Pak, yet Iran does so unharmed?

The truth is, Iran knows that they can have as many Pakistanis killed, Kulbhushan's captured & IRGC operations & Pakistan will do absolutely nothing about it. My question is, why should Iran stop when there is no threat to it & it gains so much?

Pakistan's military superiority has lost all credibility in Iran because Iran know, no matter what they do, there is absolutely no threat to them from Pak. Their paranoia worked well, because now they have put Pak in a position of weakness. Iran has alienated Pak from the Gulf.

Pakistan can change this by proactive responses to Iranian aggression. Show Iran that if it pushes Pakistan politically, Pakistan can teeter back to Gulf. Show Iran that if it kills our people, Pakistan will demonstrate its vast military advantage & strike back.

But let's be straight, Pakistan is set on its ironically destructive neutrality & after all, who really cares about poor, marginalised Baloch being killed when it comes to international relations with friendly neighbouring country Iran?

Sorry for any spelling & grammar issues in this thread.

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