Geopolitical Neighbors: Navigating the Complex Relationship between Pakistan and Iran

Abstract

The study explains the socioeconomic factors that influence the perceptions of Pakistan regarding its relationship with Iran. The main purpose of our current study is to investigate the general perception of the people of Pakistan about association between Pakistan and Iran, also identify the socio-economic factors that encourage public opinion on Pakistan-Iran relationship. For the achievement of quantitative analysis, we developed a questionnaire for Punjab, Pakistan. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was used for t-test, and ANOVA to analyze the data. The finding showed a positive outlook on the Pak-Iran relationship, with economic, cultural, and energy corporation serving to strengthen the connection. However, the analytics shows that there are some challenges such as political mistrust in Iran, external and internal pressures, along with security issues that have hindered the development of their relationship. Furthermore, the factors which helped in shaping the perception of the natives of Pakistan included socio-economic development and social media. Males reflected better views on economic benefits, when females were more interested to criticize external factors on the alliance. The findings are consistent with the existing literature which highlights that Pak-Iran relations are influenced by regional settings and external pressures. The present study provides further insights into how public opinion shapes other countries' perceptions of Pakistan-Iran relations and why strategic engagement is critical to transform challenges into opportunities for mutual value. The study provides important policy implications as it sheds light on how social environments contribute to perceptions, which ultimately may help policymakers in their efforts to increase cooperation and stability in the area.