TEHRAN – Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani has condemned a deadly attack on a police training academy in Pakistan’s southwestern city of Quetta.

In a message to his Pakistani counterpart, Shamkhani denounced the terrorist attack and expressed sympathy to the families of the victims as well as the Pakistani government and nation.

Sixty people had been killed and 117 others sustained injuries after three terrorists wearing suicide vests hit late in the evening and engaged in a protracted gun battle before one was killed by government force and the other two blew themselves up in the capital city of Balochistan Province.

“The terrorist attack on a police academy and the killing of dozens of young police forces is a sign of unbridled growth of terrorism and extremism across the region,” he regretted.

Shamkhani called on countries in the region to work together to attack terrorism at its roots, “regardless of unnecessary political considerations.”

“I express my deepest condolences to your Excellency, to the Pakistani government and nation, and to the bereaved families of those killed in this event, and I pray for a speedy recovery for the injured of the bitter event,” the message read.

MH/PA