Hamid Mir
Tell me that just two years ago, Iran and Pakistan were firing missiles at each other, and within two years, slogans of ‘Thank you Pakistan’ are being raised in Iran. How did such a big change come about in the relations between the two countries?” I smiled after hearing the question and then answered the Arab journalist and said that there have been many ups and downs in the relations between Pakistan and Iran, but Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has played an important role in bringing the two countries closer to each other. Last year, Netanyahu attacked Iran in collaboration with the United States, and in response, Iran rained missiles on Israel. Iran’s retaliation made the hearts of Pakistanis happy because the Pakistani people were very saddened by Israel’s brutal atrocities on the oppressed Palestinians of Gaza.
The Pakistani government also strongly condemned the war imposed on Iran last year, and thus the relationship of trust between the two countries became stronger. This year, when Israel launched another attack on Iran in collaboration with the United States, the majority of the Pakistani people again stood with Iran. Pakistanis mourned the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as if he were their close relative. Iran’s missiles once again shattered the pride of Israel and America. This war also created some problems for Pakistan because Iran attacked American military bases in the Gulf countries. Pakistan has had good relations with all these Gulf countries, but ordinary Pakistanis stood with Iran in this war. When Pakistan started efforts to end the war, the Iranian government did not doubt Pakistan’s intentions.
Pakistan was the only country that was accepted by both the US and Iran as a mediator. If the Iranians had lost this war, there would have been no need for mediation, so the sacrifices of the Iranian leadership and the courage of the Iranian nation behind the global position that Pakistan has gained as a mediator cannot be ignored. After hearing my answer, the Arab journalist nodded in the affirmative, but an American woman present in this gathering of journalists, while fixing her tangled hair, asked a difficult question in a very polite tone. She asked how long will you maintain a balance in relations with Iran and Saudi Arabia? At some point, you will have to stand with your main ally, Saudi Arabia? I told my foreign journalist friends that I am Pakistani, but I am not a spokesperson for the Pakistani government. If you want to ask about foreign policy, contact the Foreign Office because my opinion on some issues may differ from our government. All the journalists sitting around the table of a restaurant in Islamabad started laughing. The American female journalist sarcastically said that I have known you since 2003 when we first met at the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad during the Iraq War. Earlier you used to talk very bluntly, now you are answering a difficult question like politicians. Hearing this, I also laughed and then said in a serious tone that I didn’t evade your question because before answering, I have made it clear that my personal opinion may be different from the policy of the Pakistani government because the Pakistani government repeatedly nominates Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, but I consider Trump an ambassador of war. The American female journalist cleared her throat and said that then answer my question briefly and simply! I replied that in my opinion, the real purpose of the defence cooperation agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is to protect the holy places of Muslims from Zionist conspiracies. When Iran attacked US military bases in Saudi Arabia during the recent war, Pakistan repeatedly reminded Iran that we have a defence cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, do not put us to any test. Iran replied that if we are not attacked from Saudi Arabia’s airspace, we will not attack US military bases in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan tried its best to ensure that Iran and Saudi Arabia do not attack each other.
Saudi Arabia showed great patience, which is commendable, which is why the least attacks were on Saudi Arabia. It is hoped that such a situation will not arise in the future. With Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, Iran and the US have come very close to an agreement, but due to Trump’s irresponsible statements and drama, things have repeatedly deteriorated. This behaviour of Trump has forced all Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, to think that America is an unreliable ally and that maintaining good relations with Iran in the coming time is the real interest of the entire region. Pakistan will take Iran and Saudi Arabia together like two brothers in the coming time. The common enemies of the two brothers will try to make them fight each other, but the Pakistani nation will make every effort to stop this fight. The American female journalist said, “have you ever thought that America did not allow Iran to become a nuclear power and one day Pakistan’s nuclear weapons could also create a conflict between Pakistan and the United States?”
I immediately replied that the unnecessary statement that your intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard recently made about Pakistan’s missile program shows that the pro-India Zionist lobby in the United States is quite disturbed by Pakistan’s new role in world politics but remember that today Pakistan is your compulsion. Trump had requested Pakistan to get Iran to give us a ceasefire. When Pakistan gave us a ceasefire, Trump repeatedly created problems for Pakistan by making strange statements. Trump does not understand that Pakistan has saved America from a great defeat. Now Trump praises the Pakistani leadership one day and praises Netanyahu the next. This is tantamount to creating problems for the Pakistanis. Now he says that the war is coming back. The Iranians did not care about the war before or the next one. The difference is for America. Remember that Iran, without nuclear weapons, brought down the joint power of Israel and America. This will happen in the future too. Pakistan is a nuclear power. If America ever tries to mess with Pakistan through Israel or India, you will forget about Iranian missiles. It is better that Pakistan makes the efforts it has made for peace successful. Now no one will come to your bluffs. After hearing my answer, the female American journalist said defensively that I have only asked a question. I am also a journalist like you. I am not a representative of my government.
A British journalist tried to give a new direction to the conversation in a very humorous way. He said, we had come to Islamabad for only two or three days. Due to Trump’s dramas, our stay continued to lengthen. Our dollars are running out. The free invitations of Sindhi Biryani, Shinwari Kebab, Balochi Sajji and Lahore Canna in Islamabad save us a lot of money, but it makes my heart tremble to think that when you come to London, how will we arrange such food for you? I told this British journalist that don’t worry. All these Pakistani foods are available for you in every area of London, including East London and Southall in west London. We can entertain you not only with Pakistan’s peace diplomacy but also with Pakistani food and these foods are available in every corner of the world. Very soon, Pakistan’s peace diplomacy and food diplomacy are going to be victorious.
