Iran’s Zarif Meets Imran Khan in Islamabad

Zarif, who arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday morning, raised the issue of abduction of a number of Iranian border guards by a Pakistani-based terrorist group at the meeting with the Pakistani leader.

He also discussed plans for combatting insecurity along Iran-Pakistan common border and the approaches put forward in his talks with the Pakistani political and military officials.

The top Iranian diplomat and Imran Khan also weighed plans to enhance energy cooperation and interaction for resolving regional conflicts, as those in Yemen and Afghanistan.

In a separate gathering, Zarif held talks with Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army General Qamar Javed Bajwa on ways to ensure security along the common border, accelerate efforts to secure the release of the kidnapped Iranian border guards, promote cooperation for regional peace and security, and resolve the conflicts in Yemen and Afghanistan.

Pakistani-based terrorists kidnapped 14 Iranian forces at a border post in Mirjaveh region in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Balouchestan on October 15.

Iranian military forces along the southeastern border areas are frequently attacked by terrorist groups coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tehran has frequently asked the two neighbors to step up security at the common border to prevent terrorist attacks on Iranian forces.