By Marjan Golpira

‘Iran, Pakistan share border of peace and friendship’

November 7, 2017 - 21:59

TEHRAN – Director of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) of Pakistan on Tuesday described the border between Iran and Pakistan as “border of peace and friendship.”

In a press conference in Tehran, Asif Ghafoor, who is also the spokespersons of the Pakistan Army, said his country shares some 900-kilometer long border with Iran and the two “brotherly countries” have been living in peace with each other.

The remarks followed after Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa led a military delegation to Tehran for a three-day visit. He met with top Iranian officials including Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri and President Rouhani.

Asif Ghafoor also said the meetings between Pakistani and Iranian officials were “candid” and “positive” and the two sides exchanged “professional views and ideas.”

Issues such as “better coordination” at border areas and “Iran’s strategy to fence borders with Pakistan” were discussed, the Pakistan Army spokesman added.

Back in 2011, Iran began constructing a long fence along its borders with Pakistan as part of a broader strategy to block entry of drug-traffickers and terrorists into the country.

The Army spokesman reassured that Pakistan “never has” and “never will” allow any activities to take place on its soil against Iran.

Pointing to Iran-Pakistan friendly relations, he said security forces of the two states can join hands in “fighting terrorists.”

Iran and Pakistan can help defeat their “common enemies, including ISIS, in the region,” he stated.

The Pakistani official said the two parties also discussed issues beyond security measures and called for closer collaboration in “energy sector” and “defense cooperation”.

‘Collaboration to resolve regional crises’

For his part, General Qadir Nezamipour, the deputy chief of Iran’s armed forces for international affairs, called for closer cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad in safeguarding the region and averting crises such as the one in Syria.

Talking in the same press conference, Nezamipour stressed that Iran and Pakistan ought to keep close cooperation to battle extremism.

Among other issues discussed was to promote border security by stationing more troops at borders and taking quicker steps to implement better security management in border areas.