Iran, Pakistan Move to Defuse Row, Stress Cooperation in War on Terror
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian and Pakistani foreign ministers discussed mutual cooperation in the fight against terrorism and reaffirmed respect for the territorial integrity of each other’s countries after reciprocal attacks on border areas soured relations between the two Muslim neighbors.
A telephone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani on Friday showed signs of thaw in the recently strained relations between the two neighbors.
Highlighting Pakistan’s significant place in Iran’s foreign policy, Amirabdollahian called for serious efforts to implement plans for security and military cooperation between the two countries, as per the agreements negotiated by their officials.
On a military attack that Iran launched on the bases of Jaish al-Adl terrorist group inside Pakistan on Tuesday, Amirabdollahian said, “The Iranian security forces, stationed in their operational bases, take action against every terrorist operation from the very beginning and do not allow the terrorists to carry out operations.”
He explained that Iran’s military strike on the Jaish al-Adl terrorists, who had claimed responsibility for many terrorist attacks including a fatal raid on a police station in Iran’s Rask last month, was “an immediate duty” of the Iranian forces in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
The minister stated that Iran launched the attack to thwart an imminent terrorist threat, pointing to evidence that over 50 terrorists on Pakistani soil were preparing for terrorist operations against Iran.
Reaffirming Iran’s respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan as a friendly and brotherly neighbor, Amirabdollahian emphasized the need for mutual cooperation in neutralizing and destroying the bases of terrorists in Pakistan.
“While the Zionist regime is killing women and children in Palestine, the necessity for the unity of Islamic world and among the major and influential countries is felt more than ever,” he added.
For his part, Jilani accentuated the common causes of the two states in the war against terrorism, saying the core of cooperation between Pakistan and Iran is their shared view on the fight against terrorism.
Pakistan has always emphasized on brotherly and constructive ties with Iran and respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its western neighbor, he added.
He also pointed to the Pakistani people and government’s respect for Iran, calling for the promotion of brotherly relations in all fields.
Pakistan and Iran are two age-old Muslim neighbors, whose common enemy is terrorism, Jilani underlined, insisting that the terrorists and the enemies of relations between Islamabad and Tehran should not be allowed to take advantage of the situation.
Cooperation and fraternity make up the axis of interaction between Pakistan and Iran, he stated, inviting Amirabdollahian to pay an official visit to Islamabad.