Daily Times in its Editorial comments on Wednesday said that Iran’s upward turn in regional fortunes looks set to reshape the Middle East as well as South Asia and while this proves more than irksome to the US but Tehran enjoys the upper hand.
“If negotiated properly, including security guarantees for poverty-stricken Yemen, this would benefit the entire Middle East, while going some way to diminish the American policy of divide and conquer,” it said.
The paper went on to say Pakistan enjoys close ties with both Riyadh and Tehran, it should offer to mediate between the two if needed. This will also be in keeping with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s political stance on Yemen.
Daily Times added the signing of the China-Iran strategic cooperation partnership back in March fuelled US fears that Tehran is in cahoots with Beijing to displace it as the traditional hegemon power in the Middle East.
“There may be some truth to this. But, in reality, the Chinese already secured entry into the Middle East by way of the Belt, Road Initiative (BRI). In addition, Beijing is Saudi Arabia’s top economic trading partner,” said the editorial.
It said Iran is already clipping American wings in South Asia and it is here that Pakistan stands to gain the most.
The paper said Iran is now proposing to extend the existing CPEC corridor to form Pakistan’s Gwadar Port to Chabahar and then use rail connectivity to take trade onwards to Central Asia and then Europe.
“This has the potential to turn the so-called golden ring – China, Iran, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey – into the centerpiece of the BRI project,” viewed the editorial.
Daily Times said there is no reason that regional economic connectivity cannot ensure peace and security far more effectively than the US in its role of self-proclaimed world’s policeman.
“New regional world orders are in the making. It remains up to the US to decide whether it wants to be part of them. Or stand against them,” said the paper.
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