Iran’s top general urges enhanced defense-security cooperation with Pakistan

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri says Iran and Pakistan should enhance military relations and boost joint defense-security cooperation in the region.

Baqeri was meeting on Saturday with Pakistan's Chief of the Army General Asim Munir, who is in Tehran at the head of a high-ranking delegation.

The top Iranian general said the record shows the two neighboring countries can count on the improvement of cooperation in various fields.

Over the recent years, Tehran and Islamabad have been working towards enhancing relations, not least bilateral economic ties and mutual efforts aimed at combating terrorism in the areas that straddle the border.

Zahedan attack: Iran says will never give up pursuing terrorists

Iran

On July 9, four armed terrorists and two Iranian police officers were killed in an attack on a police station in the southeastern city of Zahedan, the capital of the province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

Sistan and Baluchestan borders Pakistan and Afghanistan. It has been the scene of several terrorist attacks against civilians and security forces in recent years.

Iran says its intelligence and security apparatus will never abandon pursuing terrorist groups even beyond the borders.

Iran-Pakistan cooperation will uproot terrorism: IRGC commander

Also on Saturday, Chief Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami said the expansion of interaction between Tehran and Islamabad would uproot terrorists and establish sustainable security in border areas.

In a meeting with the Pakistani army chief, Salami underscored the importance of promoting cooperation to fight terrorist groups and annul security threats posed to the border areas. He said security challenges and clashes on the Iran-Pakistan border are in line with the "dangerous policies of the arrogant system to sow bloody discord among Muslims."

The senior Iranian commander said the IRGC was ready to promote economic cooperation with Pakistan through a border secured jointly by the armed forces of the two countries.

The Iranian commander said West Asia has always been affected by international political forces. "There are powers who do not tolerate unity and coherence among Muslims."

The IRGC commander emphasized that the United States, Israel and their allies have been the prime advocates of wars against the countries in the Muslim world over the past four decades.

The Pakistani army chief, for his part, urged the development of defense and security cooperation with Iran. Pakistan, Munir said, is ready to settle security challenges and counter terrorist acts in border areas.

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