Hadi Borhani, in an interview with the website of the Strategic Council for Foreign Relations, stated: “The Israeli regime’s attack on Qatar was a turning point in changing the perspective of the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf towards the region’s security equations.” According to him, “This attack led the leaders of the regional countries to conclude that sole reliance on American security guarantees can no longer address emerging threats.”

Pointing out that the largest US military base in the region is located in Qatar, he reminded that “even this level of US military presence did not prevent the Israeli regime’s attack, and this fact sent a clear message to the Arab countries that in the face of future threats, they must seek to diversify their deterrence options.”

The West Asia affairs expert emphasized that “Pakistan’s entry into these equations is not only a security development but a geopolitical shift. In other words, Pakistan, as the only atomic power of the Islamic world, can be a balancing weight against the Israeli regime. This issue has become more prominent, especially after the recent defense agreement between Riyadh and Islamabad, as well as the Manama-Islamabad military cooperation meeting.”

He added: “Unlike Turkey, which is considered a geopolitical rival of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Pakistan lacks such competition, and this very fact means its presence in West Asia is not considered threatening by the Arab countries.”

In Borhani’s view, “This characteristic has turned Pakistan into an ideal partner for the Arab countries.” The West Asia affairs analyst further noted that “Pakistan’s entry into the West Asian security equations has two complementary dimensions; first, the military and nuclear deterrence dimension, and second, the financial and economic dimension.” He explained that “Pakistan, despite its powerful army and nuclear weapons, is in financial and economic distress; while Saudi Arabia and the wealthy Gulf countries are interested in investing in the defense sector and obtaining assurance from security guarantees.”

Borhani emphasized that “This combination of mutual interests provides the ground for strategic cooperation between the two sides. That is, the Arab countries provide financial resources, and Pakistan, in return, can make its military capabilities and nuclear deterrence available to them.” Borhani also stated: “The history of Pakistan’s relations with the Arab world and the importance of the Palestinian issue in Islamabad’s foreign policy also play an important role in the rapprochement between the two sides.”

According to him, “In the past, Pakistanis have even directly participated in the wars between the Arabs and the Israeli regime, and this is reassuring for Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries.” This expert believes that “The entry of Pakistan as a Muslim nuclear power into regional equations can create a kind of balance of power against the Israeli regime, without necessarily leading to direct nuclear conflict.” Referring to “the experience of atomic powers and the caution of nuclear powers in entering direct conflict,” he emphasized that such a balance has more of a deterrent aspect than an operational one.

The senior West Asia affairs analyst adds: “The role of geopolitical developments should not be overlooked in this context. Pakistan is a country located outside West Asia, and its entry into this sphere can change the traditional order of the region. However, he believes that “in the current situation, this presence is more of an opportunity to create balance against the aggressions of the Israeli regime than a threat.”

Borhani added: “In recent years, the Israeli regime has significantly increased the level of tension in the region with repeated attacks on Syria, Lebanon, threats and aggression against Iran, and even the attack on Qatar. In such conditions, regional countries are seeking to strengthen their deterrence, and Pakistan’s entry can be effective in this regard.”

The West Asia affairs expert, in conclusion, emphasized that “The recent defense pacts between Pakistan and the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, if continued, could create a kind of joint deterrence umbrella against the threats of the Israeli regime.” He added that “This trend also sends a clear message to America that the regional countries are no longer willing to confine their security solely to Washington’s guarantees and are seeking to diversify their security partners.”

Borhani finally noted that recent developments indicate the formation of a new order in West Asia; an order in which the roles of regional and extra-regional powers are being redefined, and Pakistan, as the only nuclear power of the Islamic world, will have a pivotal position in this emerging order.