Pakistan to aid Iran's war on terror

The Real Alternative News |A senior Pakistani diplomat says his country is ready to cooperate with Iran in the fight against “bandits and terrorists” that operate on the joint border. “Pakistan's government and nation, wounded by terrorism, are always ready to cooperate with Iran to dismantle bandits and terrorists,” IRNA quoted Pakistan's Charge d' Affaires in Iran Aman Rashid as saying on Saturday.

The Pakistani official made the remarks as Iran has always urged its eastern neighbor to deal more “firmly” with terrorists that cross the joint borders to carry out occasional terror attacks in Iranian soil.

At least 39 mourners were killed and nearly 90 wounded in a deadly attack on a religious ceremony in southeastern Iranian city of Chabahar in Sistan-Baluchestan Province on December 15, 2010.

The Pakistan-based Jundallah terrorist group claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

Iran said perpetrators behind the Chabahar attack were trained and equipped by foreign elements in neighboring Pakistan, urging Islamabad to step up efforts to curb terror traffic.

Iran has also made several arrests following the terrorist attack, nabbing one of the suspects on the Iran-Pakistan border.

Rashid also went on to say that Pakistan is trying to enhance security on its border with Iran.

“Pakistan, as a victim of terrorism, is struggling to maintain security on its border with Iran,” the Pakistani envoy said in City of Zahedan in Sistan-Baluchestan Province.

“There are extremists who want to sabotage cordial relations between Iran and Pakistan by creating insecurity on the joint border,” Rashid added.

The Pakistani official did not confirm reports on the arrest of a senior member of the Jundallah terrorist group.

On December 23, some media outlets reported that Pakistan has arrested AbdulRauf Rigi, the brother of the executed Jundallah ringleader Abdolmalek Rigi.

The Pakistani envoy, however, said that Islamabad is taking measures to arrest terrorists and extradite them to Iran as part of measures to beef up security on Iran-Pakistan border.

The banned Jundallah group, which is known to have collaborated with the US, Britain and Saudi Arabia, has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks against Iranian civilians and government officials.

Abdolmalek Rigi was executed in June for 79 counts of crimes, including armed robbery, bombing operations and armed attacks on police and civilians.