Iran, Pakistan won’t allow terrorists to endanger mutual security, relations: FM

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says Iran and Pakistan are committed to improving their relations and will never allow terrorists to endanger the security of the two nations.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani in Islamabad on Monday, Amir-Abdollahian said the terrorists based along the Iran-Pakistan border areas are supported by hostile third countries.

Many Iranian and Pakistani forces have lost their lives in recent years in the fight against terrorism, he said.

The top Iranian diplomat emphasized that it is inevitable for the two countries to garner their strength to fight terrorism.

Amir-Abdollahian said Tehran and Islamabad have reached an understanding that efforts should be made to improve economy, development and welfare of the people living along the common border.

He hailed numerous cultural, historical and religious commonalities between Iran and Pakistan and said the two neighboring states have never had a dispute over their territorial integrity.

Amir-Abdollahian added that historic cordial relations between the two sides verify that "we are one nation in two different geographical areas."

Iran regards Pakistan's security as the security of its own and the entire region, the top Iranian diplomat said, emphasizing, "Both sides strongly respect each other's territorial integrity."

Pointing to constructive cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad in the international circles, Amir-Abdollahian commended firm support of the Pakistani government and nation for the oppressed Palestinian people.

Iran believes that Shia and Sunni Muslims are a single community, he said, reaffirming once again the Islamic Republic's strong support for the Palestinian people and resistance.

He noted that the Pakistani government has officially invited Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi to travel to Islamabad and the two countries’ foreign ministers agreed to make the necessary preparations so that the visit would take place in the near future.

Heading a high-ranking political, military and security delegation, Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Islamabad early on Monday for a day-long visit to hold key talks on ways to improve relations.

‘Bilateral relations source of peace, stability in region’

Referring to cultural, historical, geographical and religious relations, the Pakistani foreign minister asserted that, “Both sides emphasized that the bilateral ties are valuable for the two neighboring nations and are important source of peace and stability in the region.”

“Iran and Pakistan are determined to develop political and security relations. Terrorist threat is a common challenge, and Iran and Pakistan are determined to adopt a collective approach to deal with terrorists, and this can be achieved.”

Jilani also asserted that, “The two countries’ territorial integrity is one of the unavoidable principles.”

The top Pakistani diplomat noted that, “There was good communication at the level of foreign ministers and the army and military forces, which was able to solve the recent problem quickly.”

He said, “We firmly believe that the security of Iran and Pakistan is the security of the region.”

On January 16, Iran launched simultaneous drone and missile attacks on two bases of Jaish ul-Adl, a terror outfit that was formed in 2012 and has conducted several attacks on Iranian soil in recent years.

The group claimed responsibility for an attack in December 2023 on a police station in the southeastern city of Rask that martyred at least 11 Iranian police officers.

On January 10, another attack by the group on a police station in the city martyred one officer.

Pakistan also carried out strikes on January 17 against what it called bases of the separatist Baloch Liberation Front and Baloch Liberation Army in regions close to Iran’s border.

On Friday, Pakistan’s new Ambassador to Tehran Muhammad Mudassir Tipu and Iran’s Ambassador to Islamabad Reza Amiri Moqaddam returned to their respective posts after the brief tension between the two neighbors.

ME