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Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan made a highly political visit to Iran. The two countries announced Monday, April 22, their willingness to cooperate together to fight against armed groups on their common border.
Iranian President Hassan Rohani announced on Monday at a joint press conference with the Pakistani prime minister, the decision of the two countries to create a " joint rapid reaction force to fight terrorism ".
For his part, Imran Khan, the Pakistani Prime Minister, said the military and security officials accompanying him will discuss with their counterparts Iran " ways to cooperate " on issues of common security.
" The terrorists are trying to disrupt the friendly and fraternal relations between Iran and Pakistan. We are determined to fight terrorism and we believe that it is not in Pakistan's interest to allow its territory to be used against Iran and its neighbors, "the Pakistani prime minister said. Irna official agency.
Porous border
No details were given on this "common rapid reaction force". But if it emerges, it will be an important development in the relations between the two countries and the situation at the border. In recent years, Iran has regularly accused Pakistan of turning a blind eye to the presence of extremist armed groups operating in Iran. Iran is predominantly Shiite but includes Sunni minorities, particularly in Sistan-Baluchistan province.
Last February, the Jaïch al-Adl group, the "Justice Army," a Sunni extremist group from Iran, claimed responsibility for a car bomb attack that killed 27 Iranian soldiers in Sistan-Baluchestan province. along the Pakistani border. Regularly, this group carries out actions in Iranian territory. Tehran says members of these groups infiltrate into Iranian territory from Pakistan before returning.
For his part, the Pakistani diplomat said Friday that Baloch separatists had killed 14 soldiers and members of the Pakistani security forces the day before. He added that the attackers had " training camps and logistical bases inside the Iranian areas " bordering Pakistan.
Close cooperation
Iran has been calling for closer military cooperation between the two countries for several years to fight against armed groups operating along the border. A rapid reaction force should allow Iran's security forces to better combat armed groups.
However, on the Iranian side, the border is controlled by the Revolutionary Guards, the Iranian elite army, who have just been qualified by the United States as a foreign " terrorist " organization . This will certainly complicate military cooperation between Iran and Pakistan against armed groups operating along the border.
Tehran and Islamabad also want to develop their commercial and economic relations. President Rohani said that Iran could increase by ten the volume of electricity exported to Pakistan and supply gas to that country.
The Islamic Republic is counting on its neighbors, especially Iraq, Turkey and Pakistan to circumvent the US sanctions that hit the country hard.