Pakistan, Oct. 19 -- Islamabad might not know it yet but very soon it is going to feel the heat from Washington's desperation to slap yet more sanctions on Tehran ahead of President Trump's chance at reelection in a couple of weeks. This is no doubt a ploy to please hardline voters at home but the damage it can do not just to Iran's economy but also its business relations with other countries, including the most prominent ones in Europe, not to mention regional dynamics, isn't something that the Trump administration would have given much thought to. Yet this action will have reactions that will reverberate across the region of which Pakistan is very much a part and a rather crucial stakeholder.

Besides, Iran's recent long term deal with ...