Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on Monday that he was in Pakistan to say “in a loud voice to all terrorists that Iran and Pakistan will not provide them any opportunity to endanger our common security”.
Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and his Iranian counterpart addressed a press conference following the arrival of the Iranian FM in Pakistan.
The Iranian FM said that Pakistan and Iran enjoy great culture, geographical and historic commonalities.
“There has never been any case of territorial differences or border problems and issues. So this is a clear manifestation of our good relationship,” Abdollahian said.
Nine Pakistani nationals killed by gunmen in Iran’s border area
The minister stated that both Iran and Pakistan respected each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“There is no doubt that the terrorists located in the common border regions and areas of Iran and Pakistan are led and supported by third countries and they never favour any good action in line with the benefits of the Iranian and Pakistani governments and nations,” Abdollahian said.
Last week, the neighbors announced that ambassadors of Pakistan and Iran will return back to their posts by January 26.
Earlier today, both counterparts discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
As per the Foreign Office (FO), both underscored the importance of robust dialogue and cooperation as the pathway for a positive, forward-oriented and upward trajectory in bilateral relations.
“The two sides also agreed to work towards promoting the mutually desired goals of peace and prosperity, based on mutual respect and a collective approach to address common challenges,” FO said.
This development comes two weeks after the two neighbouring countries saw massive escalation of regional tension after Iran launched attacks in Pakistan, targeting what it described as bases for the militant group Jaish al-Adl in the border town of Panjgur in Balochistan.
The move prompted a strong condemnation from Islamabad and downgrading of diplomatic ties. Pakistan announced that it was recalling its ambassador from Iran and expelling the Iranian envoy in response to what it termed unprovoked violation of Pakistani airspace by Iran.
In less than 48 hours of the airspace violation, Pakistan carried out precision strikes in Iran using killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions and stand-off weapons.
Following Pakistan’s strikes, Iran summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires to protest against the attack.
The tit-for-tat strikes by the two countries were the highest-profile cross-border intrusions in recent years and have raised alarm about wider instability in the region since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted on Oct. 7.
The militant groups operate in an area that includes Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan and Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province.
Both are restive, mineral-rich and largely underdeveloped.