Speaking in a news conference today, Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Khar rejected US demands to end all energy ties with neighboring Iran, saying that the ties are in Pakistan’s national interest and will be expanded, particularly as it relates to the controversial gas pipeline.
Initially a pipeline to ship Iranian natural gas through Pakistan and into India, the plan was later revised when India backed out to include only Pakistan, ending in Multan but potentially expanding if either India or China seeks inclusion.
The US has been pressuring Pakistan for years to abandon the deal, as US sanctions are aimed at limiting if not entirely cutting off Iranian energy production from the rest of the world. Khar insisted that the deal was too compelling for Pakistan to turn down. As for US threats of sanctions against Pakistan for participating in the pipeline, Khar insisted they would “cross that bridge when we come to it.”
This points again to how difficult the efforts to isolate Iran have been, with companies spurning the calls to cut ties and Iran’s oil output so far unaffected by the sanctions. Unintended consequences continue to pile up, with food prices spiraling in Iran and industries with an existing tie to Iran suffering mightily. Still, Iran’s state-run industries, the supposed target, remain largely unscathed and if anything stronger with less private competition.
Seems we're not able to bully our will like we used to. Quite possibly that after Iraq and (still) Afghanistan everyone is seeing through the "hyper-power" BS. Especially Iraq after 10 years of sanctions and no-fly zones. I, quite frankly, didn't see it coming without the aid of jungle cover and such. But, bless their hearts, they kicked butt.
Good for Pakistan; putting its own people's needs ahead of America's wants.
How can we put this 'isolating Iran' sham into perspective without including Israel's significant and ongoing trade with Iranian businesses? So they're doing it through third-party nations, to be sure, but then what about Israel doing business with companies who do business with Iran?
Sort of makes you wonder just where the hypocrisy ends, or if it ever does end.
Good job Pakistan. Now if you'll just start shooting our drones out of the sky.