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Iran
Turkey, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
Relations with Turkey and Pakistan since the Revolution generally
have been amicable and without any major issues. Before the Revolution,
Iran had joined both countries in a defensive alliance (that included
Britain with the United States as an observer), the Central Treaty
Organization, and in an economic agreement, the Regional Cooperation
for Development. Iran withdrew from both agreements after the
Revolution. Nevertheless, Iran's economic ties with Pakistan and
Turkey have expanded significantly. Both countries have become
important trade partners of Iran. Turkey also has become the major
transit route for goods traveling by truck and rail between Europe
and Iran. The increased volume of trade with Turkey and Pakistan
has been facilitated both by their location and by the ideology
of "neither East nor West," which advocates reducing imports from
the industrialized nations in favor of importing more from Muslim
and Third World countries.
Although Iran maintained diplomatic relations with Afghanistan
in 1987, Iran was critical of both the Marxist-Leninist government
in Kabul and the presence of Soviet troops in the country. Although
distrustful of the ideologies of most groups, Iran's leaders generally
supported the cause of the Afghan resistance. Iran provided financial
and limited military assistance to those Afghan resistance forces
whose leaders had pledged loyalty to the Iranian vision of Islamic
revolution. Iran also hosted about 2.3 million refugees who had
fled Afghanistan.
Data as of December 1987
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