Iran Urges Cooperation with Afghanistan, Pakistan to Establish Security at Joint Borders

EghtesadOnline: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on Islamabad and Kabul to join Tehran in strengthening security measures at shared borders.

News ID: ۷۶۸۵۲۱

24 July 2016

Zarif made the remarks in a meeting with new Pakistani Ambassador to Iran Assif Durrani in Tehran on Saturday.

During the meeting, the Iranian foreign minister described relations between Tehran and Islamabad as "good and close", and called for their further development.

He also underscored the importance of security in the region, and said that Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan should cooperate to maintain stability and establish security at borders, reports FNA.

Durrani, for his part, emphasized that the Pakistani officials favor development of Islamabad-Tehran ties, and voiced hope that relations between the two countries would further expand, specially in the economic field.

His remarks came after Iranian Border Guards Commander Brigadier General Qassem Rezayee stressed that his forces are standing firm against the terrorist groups day and night, and requested the government of neighboring Pakistan to take a tougher line on terrorist activities near Iran's border.

"Fortunately, despite insecurity in the neighboring countries, we enjoy secure borders and our border guards will not allow terrorists to cross the border and run operation," Rezayee said on Saturday.

He referred to the activity of 70 to 80 terrorist groups in Pakistan, and said, "We have seriously asked Pakistan to confront these groups and the Pakistani government should account for the blood of our martyrs (the Iranian nationals and border guards killed by the terrorist groups) and we promise to take revenge for (the blood of) our comrades," he added.

Four Iranian border guards were killed earlier this month in an ambush by terrorists in the border region of Jakigour in the Southern Sarbaz district of Sistan and Balouchestan province.

After the incident Iran's Deputy Police Chief General Saeed Montazer Al-Mahdi announced that the country's officials have called on Islamabad to arrest and extradite the terrorists who fled to Pakistan after killing four border guards in Southeastern Iran.

The terrorists have fled to Pakistan, said Montazer Al-Mahdi said.

According to him, the timely reaction by the Iranian border guards stopped the terrorists from sneaking into the country.

"But, unfortunately, four of our border guards were killed," he said.

Montazer Al-Mahdi said that following the incident, senior Iranian border guards commanders called on the Pakistani security and border officials to do whatever needed to arrest and extradite the terrorists to Iran.