Pakistan seeks reset of ties in the Middle East

Emerging partnerships with Iran, Saudi Arabia still face obstacles, experts say

The latest visits of senior officials from Iran and Saudi Arabia show the further strengthening of bilateral relations between Pakistan and countries in the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Middle East to seek solutions to common challenges, experts say.

They added, however, that although both sides can benefit from the emerging partnerships, it would not be seen positively in Washington, which may throw up some obstacles.

"The ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, the Ukraine crisis, the United States' unilateral sanctions on Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline …and constant economic protectionism along with newly coined decoupling and delinking parameters encourage both sides to further strengthen their relationships," said Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, executive director of the Center for South Asia and International Studies in Islamabad.