How Iran’s new government will impact ties with Pakistan

Reformist lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian was elected as Iran’s new president on July 5 following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash last month. Though Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has the ultimate authority in the country, the president’s post has some leverage, and a Reformist’s victory has rekindled hopes for change. With speculation mounting that Tehran could increasingly open to the West under Pezeshkain, there may be implications for the Islamic Republic’s ties with neighboring Pakistan.

Pezeshkian, who is expected to be sworn in on July 30, was the only moderate out of the six candidates allowed to enter the race, so maybe Iran is headed for a reset. Addressing supporters in Tehran after the election, the president-elect said he would work closely with the parliament and the judiciary to “navigate through the crises.” 

Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, spoke to Pezeshkian by phone on July 8 to congratulate him on the victory. Emphasizing deep-rooted ties between Pakistan and Iran, Sharif said he was eager to enhance bilateral cooperation in trade, energy and regional security, and Pezeshkian also expressed his desire to deepen bilateral ties, according to a readout of the call from Sharif's office.

Since Iran’s foreign policy directly influences Pakistan’s border security dynamics, economic cooperation prospects and diplomatic relationships with countries like China and the Arab states, Islamabad will be waiting to assess Tehran’s latest moves.