TEHRAN – Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, highlighted the importance of strengthening security at the borders between Iran and Pakistan during his official visit to Islamabad on Monday.

"We had discussions with our Pakistani counterparts in areas such as education, intelligence, drills, and the defense industry, and we are pursuing these collaborations with seriousness," Bagheri declared.

He emphasized that border security is the paramount issue facing the two countries today, highlighting their ongoing cooperation and the necessity for enhanced collaboration.

"We need more cooperation and coordination," Bagheri said.

Tehran and Islamabad have significantly deepened their military collaboration in recent years. In 2023, the two nations embarked on a joint border security exercise aimed at boosting operational coordination to combat terrorism, drug trafficking, and other unlawful activities.

Additionally, a security cooperation agreement was signed in April 2024, involving the deployment of colonel-rank officers in border areas to bolster counterterrorism coordination efforts.

The high-ranking talks on Monday also covered Pakistan's involvement in Iran's naval exercises, cross-border exchanges, and issues related to Afghanistan that concern both countries.

General Bagheri's visit marks his third journey to Pakistan, following earlier trips in July 2018 and October 2021.

'Gaza developments show the rise of Islam'

Speaking to Iranian officials and delegates at a ceremony at the Iranian Embassy in Islamabad, Bagheri described the events of the past 15 months as a major turning point in the region, the Islamic world, and the vast front of Resistance.

"The Axis of Resistance emerged with pride from this test and imposed a ceasefire on the enemy," he remarked, emphasizing the unchanging objectives, strategies, and fundamental roadmap despite the painful human and material losses the region suffered at the hands of the Israeli regime.

"Today is the day the ceasefire was imposed on the Zionist regime. U.S. and European officials have admitted to regional leaders that without their assistance, the fall of the Zionist regime would have been certain," he noted.

Bagheri continued by stating that every young Lebanese and Palestinian aspires to be like their martyred heroes, including Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

"The growth and survival of Islam have been achieved through this steadfastness. Our duty in the Islamic world is to stand firm, and in doing so, we will receive divine help according to God's promise," he added.