Iran, Pakistan Weigh Plans to Enhance Military Ties

Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan General Qamar Javed Bajwa met with Iran’s Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi in Tehran on Tuesday.

The meeting was held as part of plans to expand military cooperation between Iran and Pakistan and coordinate efforts in ensuring the security of common border.

Hailing Pakistan as a great country with an ancient civilization, General Mousavi said, “Iran and Pakistan are two neighbors with religious commonalities that have had relations and cooperation in various fields since long ago.”

He also expressed hope for the promotion of military interaction between the two countries, such as in the exchange of cadets and holding joint training programs.

For his part, the visiting Pakistani general welcomed the idea of mutual cooperation with Iran, saying Islamabad is ready to broaden ties with Tehran in various fields.

Iran and Pakistan face common threats and have common interests as well, Qamar Javed added, calling for close cooperation and interaction in this regard.

On Monday, the visiting Pakistani general held a meeting with Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri.

In April, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan agreed to set up a joint rapid reaction unit along the common border to combat terrorism.

Iranian military forces along the southeastern border areas are frequently attacked by terrorist groups coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In February, a bus carrying IRGC personnel was traveling between the cities of Zahedan and Khash in Sistan and Balouchestan, when it was targeted in a suicide car bomb attack.

Twenty-seven IRGC members were killed and 13 others injured in the attack, claimed by the so-called Jaish ul-Adl terrorist group based in Pakistan.