Iran, Pakistan vow to cooperate on border security

A soldier wearing a facemask stands guard as buses carry pilgrims returning from Iran via the Pakistan-Iran border town of Taftan in Sukkur in southern Sindh province on March 18, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

TEHRAN – Iran and Pakistan on Saturday highlighted the necessity of expanding cooperation to ensure security along their common border.

Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami and Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir met in the Iranian capital Tehran to discuss enhancing security cooperation against "terrorist groups and operations" in regions along the two countries' shared border, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

Salami stressed the importance of carrying out bilateral cooperation in countering terrorist groups and security threats along the common border, noting that Iran views Pakistan's security as important as its own

Salami stressed the importance of carrying out bilateral cooperation in countering terrorist groups and security threats along the common border, noting that Iran views Pakistan's security as important as its own.

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He also voiced the IRGC's readiness to cooperate with the Pakistani army to ensure security along the common border.

The Pakistani army chief, for his part, underlined the importance of increasing defense and security interactions between the two countries.

He said Pakistan is ready to enhance cooperation with Iran and choose the best solutions to resolve the problems and challenges stemming from terrorists' presence and activities in border areas.

Bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan has been a target of terrorist attacks over the past few years.

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On July 8, two policemen and four "terrorists" were killed in an armed "terrorist attack" on a police station in the province, according to Tasnim.

Jaish ul-Adl, a Salafi Islamist militant organization which Iran designated as a terrorist group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.