When Masound Pezeshkian became the President of Iran last year, many wondered what it would mean for Iran’s foreign policy, especially with neighboring countries like Pakistan.
Pezeshkian is known for his reformist and moderate agenda in Iranian politics and came into power with promises of dialogue, stability, and peace.
Although the Supreme Leader of Iran controls most things, Pezeshkian has focused on building better relations with some neighboring countries and promoting regional diplomacy over confrontation and war.
A fragile history
Relations between Iran and Pakistan have never been easy in the past. Both countries have often found themselves on opposite sides in regional politics, despite sharing similar religious and cultural values.
The most serious time came in January 2024, when both countries carried out cross-border military strikes along the Balochistan border. This was not just a border issue; in fact, it exposed how fragile the relationship between the two countries was. It was a tense time, but it was resolved through quick diplomacy.
Despite these complication, efforts were done to restore trust and peace as former President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Pakistan in 2024 was a turning point in the relations of both countries.
It was the first visit from an Iranian President to Pakistan in history and it happened just months after the military exchange that highlighted the willingness to repair the broken trust. The visit helped soften the atmosphere and opened the door for many bilateral engagements.
Iran and Pakistan have always been on opposite sides in regional alliances in several conflicts, especially in the Middle East, as Pakistan has close ties with Saudi Arabia while Iran supports the groups that are the biggest rivals of Saudi Arabia, which further strained the relations between Iran and Pakistan because although their statements are polite, their alignments speak louder.
Tracking diplomatic engagements
Since Pezeshkian took over the office, the diplomatic activity between Pakistan and Iran has improved. The Iranian President is scheduled to visit Pakistan next week, a second visit by an Iranian President in years. This isn’t just a normal, casual routine visit, but it shows that both sides are trying to come up with a new page in their bilateral ties.
In May 2025, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited Tehran for a two-day visit, where he announced that Pakistan and Iran aim to boost bilateral trade from the current $3 billion to $10 billion in the coming years.
One area where progress is visible is religious tourism. Every year, thousands of Pakistani Shia pilgrims (Zaireen) travel to Iran to visit holy sites. Under Pezeshkian, Iran has eased visa procedures, expanded facilities, and shown greater willingness to support this soft diplomacy. These efforts go beyond politics as they touch the lives of ordinary people and build trust at the ground level.
But here is a thing: are these diplomatic engagements transformational? Or just gestures to ease tensions? Because without structural reforms and policy, these engagements are mere handshakes that reflect routine diplomacy. It’s not about what two countries are talking about; it’s about whether they are acting on it or not.
Pakistan’s support during the ’12-day war’: A quiet shift
The recent Iran-Israel conflict made things even clearer as Pakistan strongly condemned Israeli aggression against Iran.
While Pakistan did not openly align with Iran in the war, its strong language against Israeli escalation was seen by many as a diplomatic nod to Tehran.
Was it a sign of deeper alignment, or simply a matter of principle? That depends on perspective. But the message was clear that Pakistan is ready to stand for Tehran on certain issues that violate its sovereignty.
This subtle support shows that the relations between the two countries are warming, though slowly, and better than the silent mistrust from a year ago.
What’s holding back from a fuller partnership?
The reality is that unseen walls exist between both countries that act as a barrier between them to achieve a full partnership.
Both countries have tried to ease the tensions, but have most of the time failed due to some underlying issues. The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline agreement (IP) was signed in 2012, but fell victim to US and UN sanctions.
The successful conclusion of the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) in 2015 raised hopes, but the unilateral withdrawal of the US from the agreement in 2018 kept Iran under US sanctions. In 2022, the Financial Action Task Force also blacklisted Iran. These factors have stalled Pakistan’s efforts to implement the IP project.
Another key reason for tensions has been the regional key alliances, as Pakistan enjoys close bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia; meanwhile, Iran supports groups like Hezbollah and the Assad regime in Syria, all of which are rivals of Saudi Arabia. These differences have a great impact on the relations between Iran and Pakistan.
Not to forget, Baloch insurgency remains a bigger reason for mistrust between both countries as Iran and Pakistan accuse each other of promoting hostile militants even during the last year military strikes, Iran claimed it was targeting Jaish al-Adl, a militant group active against Iran, while Pakistan said it was aiming at the “hideouts” of two militant groups inside Iran, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF).
A relationship in slow-mo
So what is it exactly? A cautious friendship or the start of something deeper? One thing is apparent: the relations between Iran and Pakistan are much better than they were a year ago; today, they are more stable, there is more communication, more dialogue, and less finger-pointing.
This is a region where alliances shift quickly and trust is hard to build; slow and steady diplomacy might be the wisest path forward. And if Pezeshkian’s visit to Pakistan strengthens that path, it could be a step toward something more lasting.
An IR student whose interest lies in diplomacy and current affairs and a part time debater
