Iran
‘Iran, Pakistan must unite on terror’
Iranian presidential advisor Ali Akbar Javanfekr has highlighted the need for a united anti-terror front among neighboring countries.“Recurrence of terrorist attacks is a serious issue,†Javanfekr said on Wednesday in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, in an apparent reference to recent terror attacks in Iran, IRNA reported. Iranian academic Dr. Majid Shahriari was killed in the early hours  of November 29 when his car came under a bombing attack by terrorists in the capital, Tehran. Another university professor, Dr. Fereydoun Abbasi, and his wife survived a separate attack on the same day. “When there is a terrorist attack in Pakistan, [we] feel so sad and are certain that similar incidents on the Iranian soil has saddened the nation and government of Pakistan,†he went on to say. Javanfekr called for promotion of bilateral ties and cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad, noting that such close ties cannot be truly established unless the enemy was prevented from affecting friendly relations between the two neighbors. “Focusing on commonalities shared by both nations and urging statesmen and officials to boost relations and cooperation is a requirement…that can facilitate and precipitate promotion of bilateral ties.” The remarks come after a series of bombing attacks against Iranian civilians and scientists in the past few months, including the assassination of a scholar in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in November and the massacre of at least 39 people in the southeastern port city of Chabahar earlier this month.
On December 15, a bombing attack ripped through a mourning procession in Chabahar marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam, Imam Hussein (PBUH). The massive bomb blast killed at least 33 people and wounded 95 in the southeastern port city. Reports on the last incident indicated that the terrorists involved in the deadly attack had received training in militant camps in Pakistani soil, prompting warnings from Iranian officials and lawmakers who called on Islamabad to do more to stem terrorism in the country.Speaking at the Iranian embassy in Islamabad, Javanfekr further blamed terrorism and violence in the region on the presence of foreign forces and the West’s interference in regional affairs. “Certainly, when foreigners are present…regional states will not enjoy security. They intend to take our security away to impede our progress,†the presidential advisor emphasized. Javanfekr described security as a prerequisite to progress, independence and awareness and predicted that the withdrawal of foreign militaries from the region would promote living standards in regional countries. “If the foreigners leave the region, we will no longer witness bombardments of wedding parties, streets and civilian houses; stress and anxiety will leave people’s hearts; and peace will stream through their lives,†he said.
This will definitely boost relations and cooperation among regional nations and they will achieve improvements within a shorter time, he concluded.
