Pakistan, Iran stress expansion of defence ties

TEHRAN - The top military commanders of Pakistan and neighbouring Iran have underlined the need to expand defence and military cooperation between the two countries.

In a meeting in Tehran on Monday, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri underlined the need for enhanced security and defence cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad.

Gen Bajwa, heading a high-ranking military delegation, has traveled to Tehran at the invitation of General Baqeri.

The two army chiefs stressed the need for expansion of defence and security relations aimed at resolving common issues, particularly in identifying and combating factors that cause the spread of terrorist activities along Iran and Pakistan’s shared borders.

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Making optimal use of existing capacities in various international and regional communities, using the two countries’ defense and political potentials to help settle regional conflicts, and joint cooperation between the two sides free of foreign intervention were also among the topics of discussion in the Monday meeting.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif traveled to Pakistan in May and the countries agreed to increase cooperation towards boosting security in their border areas by setting up a joint security committee.