Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif panders to Tehran during his visit, backs Iran's 'right to use nuclear energy'

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his visit to Iran, left no stone unturned to charm the Islamic Republic's leaders in Tehran, going as far as calling the country "his second home" and extending "full support for Tehran's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes". 

 

Sharif was in Tehran as part of his four-country visit to express gratitude to "fri­endly Muslim nations for their support during the recent Pakistan-India conflict." Pakistan Prime Minister repeated his claims of "victory" in the recent conflict and expressed willingness to hold talks with India on the Kashmir dispute, water, trade and counterterrorism "if India is serious". 

 

Iran's statement on the meeting, however, was a guarded one. "President Masoud Pezeshkian supported durable ceasefire between India and Pakistan", it read. Iran's focus, however, was more on its borders with the strife-torn Pakistan. "We share views that our joint borders have to be free from insecurity and the presence of terrorist and criminal groups," Pezeshkian said on Iran's joint border with Pakistan.

 

Sharif also vocally declared his country's full support for Tehran's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, according to Iranian media. On the other hand, Pakistani mainstream media 'Dawn' toed a different line on the topic, stating that Sharif only praised the "farsightedness of the Iranian leadership in pursuing the nuclear negotiations with the United States and hoped that a constructive deal would be reached between the two countries."

 

Sharif's support for Iran is considered significant as the key condition put forth by the US is Iran stopping uranium enrichment. Iran has denied this condition, stating it was a "red line". Tehran states it would maintain its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and has refused to suspend or limit its programme.  

 

Pakistan now joins China and Russia who have supported "Iran’s peaceful nuclear ambitions". However, there is no widespread agreement among countries about Iran's right to enrich uranium, with many countries expressing concerns and restrictions. 

 

Sharif also met with Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to brief him about Pakistan's recent conflict with India, but Iranian state media said "a great deal of the Leader’s remarks focused on the Palestinian cause and how Islamic countries must join hands to put an end to the plight of the Palestinian people."

 

The report added that security was another key topic between Khamenei and Sharif. "Both nations face persistent threats from terrorist groups, prompting an agreement to ramp up intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism efforts," the report added.

 

 

Middle East