Why doesn’t Pakistan have a more intimate relationship with Iran?
You don’t see it being an in-thing for Pakistanis to travel there, but it is BEAUTIFUL. I’m watching Anthony Bourdain’s series on CNN and he is showing Iran tonight. I had NO IDEA how beautiful and fascinating it is. It’s like how when muslims talk about the cool experience of going to Turkey or Morocco - open Islamic culture that’s modernized. And they’re right next to Pakistan. All those fascinating foods, and aspects of their culture. Really eye opening.
I don’t know why Pakistan isn’t on excellent terms with Iran. They’re like a softer prettier version of us.
And yet we kiss Saudi ****?
With all the sanctions placed on Iran, they did a really fabulous job to survive it. They’re more developed than Pakistan is. After all the aid Pakistan gets, look where Pakistan is, and look where Iran is. Pakistan should have been doing business with Iran all this time. They really built their country.
As someone said, people are attached to Saudia because of religion and think it is a hub of Islamic purity and since it helped out Paki politicians over the year, so we see more of a bond with them than with Iran.
Iran also on the other hand is away from mainstream Sunni Islam since its a ****e country and has been against US for a long time and since we are a US ally, it didn't make much sense to make them our bestie.
I doubt its that deep or even their. But could possibly play a minor role because of different ideologies and in future with the spread of wahabism and more hardline Islam in Pakistan. Main issue I see with Iran not being close is our support of Saudia and Taliban. its issues with balochi separatist grp on the border, and its difficult to be friendly with USA/Saudia and Iran at the same time .. its like USA/Saudia saying if you wanna be my bumchum, you can't be a bestie to Iran too .. pick sides
Why doesn't Pakistan have a more intimate relationship with Iran?
You don't see it being an in-thing for Pakistanis to travel there, but it is BEAUTIFUL. I'm watching Anthony Bourdain's series on CNN and he is showing Iran tonight. I had NO IDEA how beautiful and fascinating it is. It's like how when muslims talk about the cool experience of going to Turkey or Morocco - open Islamic culture that's modernized. And they're right next to Pakistan. All those fascinating foods, and aspects of their culture. Really eye opening.
I don't know why Pakistan isn't on excellent terms with Iran. They're like a softer prettier version of us.
And yet we kiss Saudi ****?
With all the sanctions placed on Iran, they did a really fabulous job to survive it. They're more developed than Pakistan is. After all the aid Pakistan gets, look where Pakistan is, and look where Iran is. Pakistan should have been doing business with Iran all this time. They really built their country.
Quite simply, Saudi Arabia has more $$$ to subsidise Pakistan with. Between the revolution, the war with Iraq, and then sanctions, Iran hasn't had that much free cash on hand to buy Pakistan's loyalty with, unlike Saudi Arabia.
Quite simply, Saudi Arabia has more $$$ to subsidise Pakistan with. Between the revolution, the war with Iraq, and then sanctions, Iran hasn't had that much free cash on hand to buy Pakistan's loyalty with, unlike Saudi Arabia.
Iran could offer much cheaper oil if it could buy influence, but Pakistan being overwhelmingly majority sunni-state would go with the bias.
Pakistan had excellent relations with Iran up until mid 60s. The Shah of Iran was the first international leader to visit the new state of Pakistan. Then the Revolution happened in Iran, and the fundamentalist Shia government in Iran grew extremely introvert, rigid, unfriendly and suspicious.
They also didn't see a point in having good relations with a Sunni majority state backed by US and Saudi. Post Revolution, Iran had always tried more to reach out to Shia Arabs in the Middle East than have good relations with Sunni majority neighbour. The way Sunni minority got treated in post revolution Iran, it made sense to them to keep Pakistan at arm's length in case it tries to play any active role. So things are not as black and white, but I'm glad the ice is melting now.
The 'refined' Pakistani culture still shares a lot of common ground with Persian culture. The Northern and Western Pakistan is certainly more similar to Iran than Saudi Arabia or India.
Pakistan had excellent relations with Iran up until mid 60s. The Shah of Iran was the first international leader to visit the new state of Pakistan. Then the Revolution happened in Iran, and the fundamentalist Shia government in Iran grew extremely introvert, rigid, unfriendly and suspicious.
They also didn't see a point in having good relations with a Sunni majority state backed by US and Saudi. Post Revolution, Iran had always tried more to reach out to Shia Arabs in the Middle East than have good relations with Sunni majority neighbour. The way Sunni minority got treated in post revolution Iran, it made sense to them to keep Pakistan at arm's length in case it tries to play any active role. So things are not as black and white, but I'm glad the ice is melting now.
The 'refined' Pakistani culture still shares a lot of common ground with Persian culture. The Northern and Western Pakistan is certainly more similar to Iran than Saudi Arabia or India.
That's exactly what I was thinking. Their relationship turned sour only quite recently. PakistanI culture is very much influenced by Persian culture. Thanks for telling us why.