FM: Iran, Pakistan Not to Allow Terrorists to Jeopardize Two States’ Security, Stability

Terrorists based along the Iran-Pakistan border areas are supported by hostile third parties, the Iranian diplomat said at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani in Islamabad on Monday.

Amir Abdollahian emphasized that it is inevitable for the two countries to garner their strength to fight terrorism, adding that many Iranian and Pakistani forces have lost their lives in recent years in the fight against terrorism.

He noted that the Pakistani government has officially invited Iranian President Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi 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.

An unprecedented turn of events took place between Iran and Pakistan nearly 10 days ago when the neighboring countries exchanged cross-border attacks on “militant hideouts”.

At least ten people, children and women, were killed in the air strikes by Pakistan in Saravan county in the Southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan on mid-January 18. It comes a day after Tehran pounded two main headquarters of the anti-Tehran terror group the so-called Jaish Al-Adl in Pakistan's Southwestern province of Balochistan. Two key strongholds of the terrorist group in Pakistan have been obliterated through precision missile and drone strikes. On January 19, Tehran and Islamabad agreed to defuse the tensions, and a week later, the Iranian and Pakistani ambassadors returned to their respective posts.

Iranian military officials have repeatedly warned neighboring countries to observe the principle of good neighborliness and not allow destabilizing activities on their soil. Tehran has also urged Islamabad to designate Jaish Al-Adl -- which has conducted several bomb attacks and kidnappings in Southeastern Iran in a bid to disrupt the country’s security and stability -- as a terrorist organization.

Jilani, for his part, said Pakistan and Iran 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,” the Pakistani minister cautioned.

“The two countries’ territorial integrity is one of the unavoidable principles,” he continued, adding, “We firmly believe that the security of Iran and Pakistan is the security of the region”.