TEHRAN - Tehran Times spoke exclusively with Dr. Dost Muhammad Barrech, a Pakistani expert in security and regional politics at the University of Balochistan, Quetta, on the ongoing unrest in Iran and the role of external actors. Dr. Barrech argues that U.S. and Israeli support for violent elements within Iran aimed to weaken the country’s economy and undermine national cohesion.

He underscores Pakistan’s consistent calls for diplomacy and regional stability, highlighting Islamabad’s strategic role in supporting Tehran amid growing international pressure. The expert also evaluates how enhanced bilateral cooperation between Iran and Pakistan could help counter foreign interference, strengthen border security, and bolster regional resilience against external destabilization efforts.

What strategic objectives do you think the U.S. and Israel aim to achieve by supporting violent elements in Iran?

I will answer your question by citing the book entitled “Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorists” authored by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In his book, he accuses Iran, Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Sudan of promoting terrorism and vowed to orchestrate regime changes in these countries. With the fabricated allegations of regime changes that occurred in the above-mentioned states, except Iran. Netanyahu strives to change the regime in Iran to achieve his strategic objective. The U.S., on the other hand, since the 1979 Iranian revolution, perceives Iran as the only country in the world that challenges the U.S.-led world order, and is now trying to change the regime to obtain strategic objectives. Both the U.S. and Israel are trying to weaken the Iranian economy, national cohesion, and damage its nuclear capabilities. Arguably, the U.S. and Israel have somewhat damaged Iran's conventional and nuclear capabilities and fostered camp splits. Since 2018, the Trump administration has exerted maximum pressure on Iran, a move that has led to a sharp decrease in revenues. My sense says that if the U.S. and Israel remain unsuccessful in changing the regime in Iran, they will likely trigger regime collapse by supporting minority ethnic groups to revolt against the state. 

To what extent do covert operations, intelligence support, and international media campaigns play a role in advancing U.S. and Israeli agendas in Iran? How are these mechanisms used to manipulate internal unrest?

The U.S. has been involved in covert operations for a long time. These operations play a very important role in advancing U.S. and Israeli agendas. Assassinations, sabotage acts, and direct strikes are also carried out to damage Iran's military and nuclear capabilities. The Stuxnet cyberattack in 2010 damaged Iranian centrifuges. Iran has endured assassinations of nuclear scientists between 2010 and 2020. Israel in 2025 launched "Operation Rising Lion," encompassing missiles and pre-positioned drones inside Iran to destroy nuclear facilities, air defenses, and missile sites, followed by the U.S. joining airstrikes on key sites such as Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. The U.S. used bunker-buster bombs, re-imposed sanctions, incited protests, and launched a disinformation campaign to find a pretext to escalate military strikes. These tactics are deliberate destabilization moves intended to pave the way for fragmentation (of Iran) in line with the interests of Israel. The Trump administration’s request to Elon Musk for the deployment of Starlink to help Iranians clarifies that Israel and the U.S. leave no stone unturned to manipulate the internal unrest.   

Pakistan has repeatedly called for restraint, diplomacy, and regional stability regarding the unrest in Iran. How significant is Islamabad’s stance in supporting Tehran? And what impact does it have on Iran’s diplomatic stance internationally?

Pakistan has been advocating for diplomatic engagement, restraint, and regional stability.  Ostensibly, a stable and peaceful Iran is in Pakistan's interest. Islamabad’s supportive posture holds great importance for Tehran, serving as a key regional ally amid international pressure from the U.S. and Israel. To be honest, Pakistan cannot afford regime change in Iran as it will have severe implications in terms of sectarian tension, border instability, refugee crisis, and infiltration of non-state actors within Pakistan. Pakistan follows a strategic balancing act in its bid to advocate for regional peace and protect its borders. Islamabad’s backing strengthens Tehran's diplomatic position, bolstering its narrative of foreign interference and helping Iran resist isolation. Islamabad is trying to maintain working channels with both the U.S. and Iran to resolve the crisis. Pakistan can play a role similar to the 1970s, when it brought the U.S. and China to the negotiating table. Iran perceives Pakistan as a stabilizing regional actor. The U.S., after 20 years of war with Afghanistan, ended the conflict with the Taliban by inking the Doha Agreement. War, sanctions, and incitement of unrest are not the solution. Pakistan can replicate the Doha Agreement model among U.S., Israel, and Iran to end the war. 

How do U.S. and Israeli attempts to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs affect broader regional stability in the Middle East, particularly regarding security along the Iran-Pakistan border and neighboring countries?

It is indisputable that the U.S. and Israeli interferences have undermined regional stability, enhancing the risk of escalation into a wider conflict. The U.S. and Israel are engaged in mirroring Iran's proxy model to weaken it from within to prolong internal conflict. However, it is a good omen that those regional states, which were against Iran, are now opposing the U.S. military intervention, believing that a prolonged war will cause wider conflict and economic shocks. The U.S interference in Iran will certainly threaten security along the Iran-Pakistan border, encouraging non-state actors, cementing cross-border alliances, and bolstering transnational threats like terrorism, drug trafficking, and refugee crisis. In Southwest Balochistan more than 70 percent people are dependent on illegal trade with Iran. The prolonged conflict will affect the people of Balochistan. Arguably, the U.S.- Israel interference is designed to weaken Iran tactically, enfeebling its long-term stability by exploiting ethnic and sectarian diversity.  Pakistan cannot remain immune to these implications.  

Historically, the U.S. has used similar strategies in other countries. How is the current situation in Iran comparable to past instances of U.S.-Israeli intervention?   

The current U.S interference in Iran can be compared to the 1953 CIA-orchestrated coup against Mohammad Mossadegh. The current crisis is a classic Mossad and CIA operation, reminiscent of Operation Ajax in which economic sanctions and clandestine support for unrest were used to topple the government for strategic gains. Both interferences involved creating economic crises to incite protests. However, in 2026, the U.S and Israel used modern tools like Starlink and AI-driven disinformation to provoke the protesters, making it more elusive than the overt 1953 coup. In 1953, the U.S. used a pretext of oil-driven meddling; now it has focused on nuclear containment.  Currently, the U.S.-Israeli goals appear to have been shifted from resource control to averting the country to rebuild post-2025 strikes. The U.S. and Israel seem to be following the Iraq model to weaken the economy through sanctions, inciting protests more organically than escalating to strike.  The U.S. and Israel are using proxies to exert pressure on the current Iranian government while emboldening separatists. Iran needs to be wary of external actors engaged in using internal proxies to embroil the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) in domestic conflict, reflecting Syria’s playbook of weakening Assad’s allies without invasion. 

How can Pakistan and Iran enhance bilateral cooperation—diplomatic, economic, or security-related—to counteract foreign interference while safeguarding regional stability and sovereignty?

There are ample opportunities for Pakistan and Iran to enhance diplomatic, economic, and security ties.  Pakistan can leverage its improved U.S. relations to act as a mediator between Washington and Tehran to de-escalate tension. However, both Pakistan and Iran need to prioritize energy projects, trade enhancement, border economic zones, and strengthening mutual resilience. Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran is around $2 billion, which has the potential to reach $5 billion through formal channels, as both parties agreed in the 2025 talks.  Connectivity, like linking Iran's Chabahar port with Gwadar under CPEC and expanding the mega project to Iran, will enable both countries to create trade corridors to regional countries, reducing vulnerability to external disruptions. 

The security relationship between both parties needs to focus on intelligence-sharing, border management, and counter-terrorism to neutralize foreign-backed insurgents. It is pertinent to mention that in the evolving regional geopolitics, Pakistan has become a security provider. Currently, Turkey is interested in joining the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in September 2025. Saudi Arabia is a financial power, having diplomatic weight. Pakistan, on the other hand, has a large military, missile capabilities, nuclear deterrent. Turkey has combat experience, strong conventional forces, advanced defense industry. Against this backdrop, Iran is a resilient nation with expertise in the manufacturing of indigenous drones and missiles. If Iran joins SMDA, it turns out to be a real Muslim NATO, securing its territory and sovereignty.