By Dr Shahid Qureshi : –
Pakistan embassy in Washington is a base station for the ‘Iran interests office’ since 1979. Those who want to travel to Iran go to the Pakistan embassy. Indian occupied Kashmir is under curfew with over 8 million people caged in but in his UN General Assembly speech, Iranian President did not mention a word about Kashmir and atrocities committed by the 900000 Indian security forces.
In the context of Iranian love and business affairs with the Indians and running of RAW directorates from its soil it ‘is safe’? Iran has is part of India – US backed alternative CPEC route to connect Chabhar Port by train with Central Asian Countries as proposed by Indian Foreign Minister in Samarkand Conference. Afghan shipments are already going through Chabhar Port to India. There is a famous saying of Ali ibn Talib (RA) cousin of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him), “Fear from evils of those who you do favours”.
Pakistan is a very non-sectarian, close knitted and tolerant nation but in the past few years Indo-Iran lobby in media is active with hyper sonic speed by planting its anchors, reporters, producers and that is a major problem in shaping the national narrative in the media. Most of the news sources quoted in the international press and media are from the over-represented Indo-Iran mafia which is serious cause of concern. It is not a mere co-incident but a fully planned strategy and must be countered with iron hands not last-minute firefighting.
Few years ago Three US congressmen inducing Mike Pompeo visited Iran office based in the Pakistan embassy. The office was kept like secret from the nation as many people don’t know about the existence of this office.
Three US congress men wrote to the Iranian foreign minister via Iranian Interests Section based at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington. US congress members Reps. Mike Pompeo (R., Kan.), Frank LoBiondo (R., N.J.), and Lee Zeldin (R., N.Y.) wrote a letter to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif on 4th February 2016.
Iran Visa-Status-Iran-PZ
Lhttp://freebeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Visa-application-Iran-response.pdf
Link to the letter
USA wrote to Iran via Pakistan embassy Iran interest Office 314984462-Iran-Response-to-Visa-Letter
The letter says transcript:
The letter says transcript:
Congress of The United States
Washington, DC 20515
April 12, 2016
Foreign Ministers Mohammad Zarif
Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Embassy of Pakistan
1250, 23rd Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Foreign Minister Zarif,
“On February 4th we traveled to the Iranian Interests section in Washington DC to hand deliver our visa applications for travel to Iran. We also submitted a letter outlining our aims, which include visits with American hostages, briefings on the ten US sailors that were held, trips to three nuclear sites, and information on Iran’s recent missile tests.
When we submitted our applications, the deputy director of the interests’ section, Abolfazl Meharabedi, informed us that we would receive a reply, though your staff missed their own self – imposed deadline for responding we have followed up several times with them, but to no avail. It has now been more than two months since we applied, and we would appreciate a decision on our application. If you reject our visa applications, please provide an explanation.
In our letter, we also requested to observe your country’s February elections, but due to your delay, we were denied this opportunity. With your claims that many moderates were elected, we imagine that there should be no problems now with our trip. However, our straightforward applications continue to be met with ridicule and delay from many Iranian leaders.
As the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, Valiollah Sief, visits Washington, D.C. this week, it is clear the American Government is allowing Iranian leaders to visit the United States. Further, American and international business delegations are travelling to Iran and have obviously received visas. We trust the same courtesy will be extended to American leaders.
Sincerely,
Signed by: Mike Pompeo (R., Kan.), Frank LoBiondo (R., N.J.), and Lee Zeldin (R., N.Y.)
Few years ago I asked a senior Pakistani diplomat in London about Iran Interest Office established in Pakistan Embassy in Washington USA. To my surprise he completely denied existence or knowledge of any such office in the Pakistani embassy in Washington.
Keeping in view the arrest of the active Indian Raw Agent and Navy Officer Kubhushan Yadov operating an anti-Pakistan terrorist network from the Iranian port city of Chabhar have raised many eye brows in Pakistan pre dominantly a Sunni Muslim country. “Shias of Pakistan are not like Sunnis in Iran” said foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri to his Iranian counterpart. There is about 2%-3% Shia population is well integrated and active in all walks of Pakistani life and there is no divide within the communities due to inter-marriages and tolerant society.
After the arrest of the ‘Indian Monkey’, code name of Raw Agent Kulbushan Yadove and arrests of over 400 agents including 2 employees of Iranian Cultural Centre in Multan of his network have made Pakistan to review its policy as one sided love never work for long time and must be reciprocated. Pakistan must protect its all communities from abuse and becoming a tool of foreign country.
A senior analyst based in Washington said to me that: “merely by co-incident most of the Pakistani ambassadors came to USA from Pakistan like M Isphani, Abida Hussain, Sherry Rehman, Hussain Haqqani husband of Farah Isphani and others were not only pro Iran but also Shia Muslims.”
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Off course Pakistan have special relationship with Iran and it was the first country that recognised Pakistan at the United Nation and Afghanistan was the only country opposed Pakistan’s UN membership. But that was during the secular and non-religious Iran prior to the Iranian revolutions. The policy of exporting revolution has damaged Iran’s relationship with many countries. Pakistan should review its relations with Iran and others based on national interest and not by some dodgy lobby group manipulations.
There is a famous saying of Ali ibn Talib (RA) cousin of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him), “Fear from evils of those who you do favours”.
(Dr Shahid Qureshi is senior analyst with BBC and chief editor of The London Post. He writes on security, terrorism and foreign policy. He also appears as analyst on Al-Jazeera, Press TV, MBC, Kazak TV (Kazakhstan), LBC Radio London. He was also international election observer for Azerbaijan 2018, Kazakhstan 2019, 2016 and 2015 and Pakistan 2002. He has written a famous book “War on Terror and Siege of Pakistan” published in 2009. He wrote his MA thesis on ‘Political Thought of Imam Khomeini’ and visited Tehran University. He is PhD in ‘Political Psychology’ also studied Law at a British University. He also speaks at Cambridge University and visiting professor in Hebe University in China)
Views expressed are not of The London Post.
