Zarif to Hold Talks with Pakistani FM on Saravan Terrorist Attack
October 28, 2013 - 11:30
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that he will call his Pakistani counterpart to discuss the recent terrorist attack in Iran's southeastern city of Saravan.
On Friday evening, a group of armed men carried out an ambush attack on a border post in Gazbostan, near Iran’s southeastern city of Saravan, on the border with Pakistan which has almost no control over its side of the shared frontier with Iran.
Fourteen Iranian border guards were killed and six were wounded in the terrorist attack.
In a message posted on his Facebook page on Monday, Zarif condoled with the dear families of martyrs and the great Iranian nation over the "painful disaster", and announced his intention to call the Pakistani foreign minister over the issue.
Zarif also referred to Saravan event as an "example of the international terrorism and a symbol of the expansion of extremism."
“Extremism and terrorism have no boundaries. In today's world, security is not an isolated issue, and thus, we have no way but to contribute to the establishment of regional security in a bid to preserve and safeguard our country’s security."
A senior Iranian provincial security official said Sunday Pakistan has failed to fulfill its commitments about joint security cooperation along its border with Iran.
Deputy Governor General of Sistan and Balouchestan Province for Political and Security Affairs Rajabali Shiekhzadeh said in an interview with the Tasnim News Agency in provincial capital city of Zahedan that Iran and Pakistan boarder commitments oblige the two countries to cooperate in security fields, but "unfortunately Pakistan has not acted satisfactorily in that respect."
He said that the Iranian Foreign Ministry, too, must in the framework of the international conventions and joint meetings on border issues pursue the implementation of the required security measures on the part of Pakistan "so that in the future we would not witness any such incidents in Iran."
Sheikhzadeh also complained about Pakistan's apparent foot dragging over improving border security, saying despite previous attacks on Iranian forces from the Pakistani side of the shared border, it has failed to keep its side of the bargain.
Iran MP urges Pakistan to respect security pact
A senior Iranian legislator has called on Islamabad to make good on its security deal with Tehran, and follow up on the case of the recent deadly attack on Iranian border guards.
“If Pakistanis are unable to take appropriate measures in that regard, they should allow our forces to enter the Pakistani soil to hunt for and pursue the rogue elements,” said Chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Iran’s Majlis Alaeddin Boroujerdi on Sunday.
He added that the Majlis committee would hold a session on Monday to investigate the border assault on the Iranian forces.
Fourteen Iranian border guards lost their lives and three others were wounded in a shoot-out with terrorists in the border region of Saravan in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan on October 25.
The incident prompted the Iranian interior and foreign ministries to launch a joint investigation into the incident.
Sohail Siddiqui, Pakistani charge d’affaires in Iran, says that the Iranian government has briefed Pakistan on the details of the attack and urged Islamabad to carry out an investigation into the incident.
Tehran and Islamabad have signed a security agreement to work together closely to protect their common border, Siddiqui said.
He added that if it is proven that the assailants are on Pakistani soil, Islamabad will arrest and deliver them to Iran under that agreement.
In February, Iran and Pakistan signed a security agreement under which both countries are required to cooperate in preventing and combating organized crime, fighting terrorism and countering activities which pose a threat to the national security of either country.
Iran demands extradition of Saravan border attack terrorists
TEHRAN, Oct. 28 (MNA) – Iran’s ambassador to Islamabad has demanded Pakistan arrest and extradite Saravan terrorist attack agents.
Mehr News reported that Alireza Haghighian visited Pakistan’s deputy FM and provided him with a report about the terrorist attacks on Iran-Pakistan borders in Saravan. He also demanded arrest and immediate extradition of the terrorists.
Terrorist attacks against Saravan border patrol police staff left 15 dead and 5 injured.
During the meeting Pakistan’s deputy FM offered his condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s government and people for the event, and ensured the ambassador that, Pakistani authorities would cooperate with Iran and do their best to deal with terrorist acts.