Both Iran and Pakistan represent two distinct patterns of political systems and navigating their relationship is a very difficult task indeed. However, new developments between them in recent years have created salutary interest among scholars of international relations to focus on their long term relationship. This book focuses on various facets of this relationship in a long term perspective by analyzing them under various phases.

The period from 1947 to 2010 has been chosen to analyse this relationship, particularly from an Iranian angle, in the context of different ruling systems such as monarchy and theocracy so as to understand the overall state pattern of Iranian foreign policy. The book traces the Iranian independence in a modern state system, the entire gamut of Iranian foreign policy towards Pakistan followed under a monarchial system, an analysis of the relationship of the Islamic Republic of Iran with Pakistan from 1979 to 1989, an in-depth study that covers the period from 1990 till the current regime to understand the tone and tenor of a modified theocratic foreign policy pursued under various Iranian Presidents and its approach towards Pakistan and finally leading on to a total assessment of the relationship between the two states with some fresh and prognostic thoughts.