Iran’s eastward push

Iran is concerned about the presence of several countries in the Indian Ocean and wants to protect its genuine commercial interest in this region.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi recently made trips to two South Asian countries, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Though the visit was planned much before Iran attacked Israel, it added a new dimension to Iran’s geopolitical posture. Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile strike on Israel after its embassy was attacked in Damascus last month, killing two top generals, was criticised by the Western countries as Iran’s bid to escalate the conflict. However, given Israel’s Gaza war, Islamists worldwide welcome Iran’s retaliatory strike. In this context, Iran’s “Look East” policy to reach out to its two important partners is significant. Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka share good relations with Iran. Iran’s regional outreach in the Middle East is in crisis.