During the Cold War (1945–1991), both countries were part of the Western Bloc against the Eastern Bloc. They were founding members of the anti-communist alliance CENTO. Iran aided Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Both countries shared a common animosity towards Baloch separatists and cooperated in the 1970s Balochistan operation. Iran backed Pakistan in the Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Following the Iranian Revolution (1978–1979), which overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty, Pakistan recognized the Islamic Republic of Iran. During the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989), Iran backed the Pakistan-funded Afghan mujahideen and Pakistan supported Iran in the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988). Pakistan's support for the Taliban in the Third Afghan Civil War (1992–1996) became a problem for Iran, which opposed a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan at the time. In the ensuing Fourth Afghan Civil War (1996–2001), Iran backed the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance. Following the September 11 attacks, Iran and Pakistan joined the war on terror. Pakistan has often served as a mediator in the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict. Iran has also expressed an interest in joining the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor as part of the larger Belt and Road Initiative. After the U.S. complete withdrawal of its troops and the Taliban return to power in the 2020s, Pakistan has stepped up cooperation with Iran to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan,[1] with both sides arguing that it should not be used for geopolitical rivalry.[2] The regions that comprise today's Iran and Pakistan have been under the rule of contiguous Eurasian polities at various points in history, as Pakistan straddles an intermediary zone between the Iranian Plateau and Indian subcontinent. The Persian Achaemenid Empire, which spanned (among other regions) the area between the Balkans and the area of the Indus River (known to the Persians as Hind[7]) at its height, conquered the regions comprising modern-day Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the reign of Darius I.[8] Relations during the Cold Waredit Main articles: Cold War (1947–53) and Cold War (1953–62) Imperial Iran maintained close relations with Pakistan during the Cold War, partly owing to their mutual alliance with the United States-led Western Bloc.[9][10] Iran was the first country to recognize Pakistan as an independent state, and Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was the first head of any state to come on an official state visit to Pakistan (in March 1950).[10] Since 1947, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, had successfully advocated a policy of fostering cordial relations with the Muslim world and Iran in particular.[10] After Pakistan gained its independence in August 1947, Iran was one of the first countries to recognize its sovereign status.[10] Duration: 1 minute and 10 seconds.1:10Shah Pahlavi of Iran making a state visit to Pakistan (1956) In May 1950, a treaty of friendship was signed by Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Some of the clauses of the treaty of friendship had wider geopolitical significance.[11] Pakistan found a natural partner in Iran after the Indian government chose to support Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was seeking to export a pan-Arab ideology that threatened many of the more traditional Arab monarchies, a number of which were allied with the Shah of Iran.[11] Harsh V. Pant, a foreign policy writer, noted that Iran was a natural ally and model for Pakistan for other reasons as well. Both countries granted each other MFN status for trade purposes; the Shah offered Iranian oil and gas to Pakistan on generous terms, and the Iranian and Pakistani militaries extensively cooperated to suppress the rebel movement in Baluchistan.[11] During the Shah's era, Iran moved closer to Pakistan in many fields.[10] Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey joined the United States-sponsored Central Treaty Organization, which extended a defensive alliance along with the Soviet Union's southern perimeter.[10] Iran played an important role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, providing Pakistan with nurses, medical supplies, and a gift of 5,000 tons of petroleum. Iran also indicated that it was considering an embargo on oil supplies to India for the duration of the armed conflict.[10] The Indian government firmly believed that Iran had blatantly favoured that the British government was not going to obstruct the nationalization of British oil companies Pew Research Center. Polls have consistently shown that a very high proportion of Pakistanis view their western neighbour positively.[3][4] Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Khamenei has also called for the sympathy, assistance, and inter-cooperation of all Muslim nations, including Pakistan.[5] However, some tensions have remained