Iran, Pakistan Agree to Improve Security Ties

Facts

• Following a meeting between Pakistan's caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abbollahian in Islamabad on Monday, the two nations vowed to strengthen their relations and security cooperation.¹
• The move follows a recent exchange of missile strikes between the two countries earlier this month that reportedly killed at least 11.²
• The strikes were initiated by Tehran, which claimed to have targeted militant bases in Pakistan. This saw Islamabad strike alleged insurgent groups in neighboring Iran and recall its ambassador from the neighboring country.²
• Though tensions between the two Muslim neighbors have been longstanding, the recent missile strikes marked a dramatic escalation. At the press conference, Jilani told reporters that the two neighbors were able to rapidly resolve the misunderstanding since they had multiple operational channels of communication open.³
• According to Jilani, the new security arrangements include collaboration to combat terrorism on their respective sides of the border, as well as the establishment of a system to monitor any progress in this area. Amir-Abbollahian stated that there had never been a war between the two neighbors.⁴
• Meanwhile, to encourage bilateral trade, they also reportedly offered ideas to establish free trade economic zones close to the border.⁵

Sources: ¹Dw.Com, ²CTVNews, ³US News & World Report, ⁴MSN and ⁵FOX News.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Archive. The volatile Middle East region is relieved to learn that Pakistan and Iran have reached a security agreement, as announced by Islamabad on Monday. The two neighboring nations have shown restraint and lowered tensions, resulting in a successful agreement to address both sides' security concerns. Hopefully, Tehran will be able to show similar restraint in other parts of the region.
• Narrative B, as provided by Nikkei Asia. While this apparent turnaround to cordiality is a welcome relief following this month's strikes, there are doubts about whether it will actually achieve anything meaningful: The meeting immediately followed the murder of nine Pakistanis on Iranian territory in an attack that both nations have swept under the rug. It seems Islamabad and Tehran are only committed to honoring their policy of ignoring the threat of militant groups and neglecting the socio-economic conditions that have primed the breeding ground for terrorism.

Predictions