DPM Ishaq Dar to visit Iran for ECO meeting amid ongoing bilateral challenges

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will embark on a two-day official visit to Iran from December 2-3 to attend the 28th meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Council of Ministers, according to Radio Pakistan.

The visit underscores Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to enhance regional cooperation and address longstanding bilateral issues, including energy projects and security concerns along their shared border.

During his visit, Dar will deliver remarks at the ECO meeting in Mashhad, focusing on the region's potential for greater connectivity, including the development of road and rail networks, the liberalization of visa regimes, and the simplification of border procedures. 

According to a statement by the Pakistani Foreign Office, Dar will also highlight the importance of sustainable growth and strengthening the geo-economic potential of the ECO region.

"The Deputy Prime Minister will sign the charter for the ECO Clean Energy Center and hold bilateral meetings with participating ministers and other dignitaries on the sidelines," said Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch. 

Dar’s participation in the meeting is part of Pakistan’s commitment to the ECO charter and its broader regional and economic objectives.

Despite a shared interest in regional development, Pakistan and Iran have had a complicated relationship, marked by both collaboration and tension. One of the most significant, yet unfulfilled, initiatives between the two nations is the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project. 

Signed in 2004 with an estimated cost of $7 billion, the project has faced numerous hurdles, particularly due to international sanctions imposed on Iran, which have stalled Pakistan’s participation. 

While Iran has completed its section of the pipeline, Pakistan has been unable to move forward without securing a waiver from the United States, which has heavily sanctioned Iran.

The gas pipeline project remains a key point of contention and a missed opportunity in the two countries’ economic ties. Nevertheless, both sides continue to explore potential avenues for cooperation, including trade agreements and the facilitation of cross-border energy exchange.

Beyond economic cooperation, Pakistan and Iran have also had their share of security challenges, particularly along their porous and often volatile border. 

Both nations have repeatedly accused each other of failing to curb militancy in the region, and tensions have flared on several occasions. In January 2023, both countries exchanged airstrikes, each claiming to target militant hideouts on the other side of the border. 

The tensions were later eased following a visit by then-Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Pakistan in April, during which the two sides agreed to strengthen bilateral relations and signed several memorandums of understanding covering trade, science and technology, agriculture, health, culture, and judicial cooperation.

In addition to his participation in the ECO meeting, Dar is expected to reiterate Pakistan’s concerns regarding the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, particularly in light of the Israel-Gaza conflict. 

His visit comes shortly after a two-day visit to Islamabad by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, who consulted with Pakistan’s leadership on the Middle East situation and discussed strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.

The visit also highlights Pakistan's broader strategy to strengthen its ties with regional neighbours and engage in multilateral forums such as the ECO to promote stability and economic growth in Central Asia and the Middle East.