FM Jilani expresses Pakistan’s readiness to work with Iran

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani on Friday in a telephonic conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian expressed Pakistan’s readiness to work with Iran on all issues based on spirit of mutual trust and cooperation.

According to a press release issued by the Foreign Office, “Foreign Minister Jalil Abbass spoke with the Foreign Minister of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian today. Foreign Minister Jilani expressed Pakistan’s readiness to work with Iran on all issues based on spirit of mutual trust and cooperation. He underscored the need for closer cooperation on security issues.”

This is the second time the two foreign ministers spoke since both countries launched missile attacks on alleged hideouts of terrorists.

On Tuesday, Iran launched attacks in Pakistan, targeting what it characterized as bases for the militant group Jaish al-Adl in the border town of Panjgur in Balochistan, as reported by Iranian state media. The incident prompted strong condemnation from Islamabad, leading to the severing of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

In a subsequent move, Pakistan retaliated by striking “hideouts used by terrorist organizations, namely Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF),” situated in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province. The operation, codenamed ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar,’ was intelligence-based.

Iran’s IRNA news agency reported that nine individuals lost their lives in the attack on a village in the city of Saravan. Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi stated that all the deceased “were foreign nationals.”

Condemning the strikes, Iran summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires “to protest and request an explanation from the Pakistani government,” according to a statement by Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani.