Pakistani, Iranian army chiefs vow to eradicate terrorism, bolster border security

ANKARA

Pakistani and Iranian army chiefs reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating terrorism and strengthening border security, according to a statement issued by the Iranian Embassy in Islamabad on Tuesday.

In a phone conversation, Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, and his Iranian counterpart, Major Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, discussed bilateral cooperation in an array of fields, with the latter praising Islamabad's support for Tehran during its 12-day war with Israel.

The conversation came about weeks after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian visited Islamabad.

The two neighbors agreed earlier this month to protect their shared border by effectively combating terrorism.

Mutual accusations of harboring militants have periodically strained relations between the two neighbors, as the nearly 900-kilometer shared border has long faced security threats from militant networks like Jaish al-Adl and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

Mousavi, according to the Iranian state-run IRNA news agency, said Iran is prepared to eradicate terrorism and secure its borders with Pakistan, calling for joint efforts to eliminate terrorism.

Echoing the call for securing common borders, Munir said the two countries must “jointly turn the Pakistan-Iran border into a border of friendship, brotherhood, and economic development.”