Pakistan, Iran for more coordination in fighting terrorism

TEHRAN: Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday called for greater coordination in fighting terrorism, the presidency website reported.

"Combating terrorism requires unity and coordination between governments and nations," Ahmadinejad said in a meeting with Prime Minister Gilani, who is heading a high-ranking delegation to Tehran.

"Enemies of our nations and regional countries seek to spread insecurity and create obstacles in the way of regional countries developing," Ahmadinejad added.

Premeir Gilani, according to the website, said Tehran and Islamabad can "take effective steps in combating terrorism through close cooperation and coordination."

He also vowed that "Pakistan will never allow others to harm bilateral relations" with Iran, the website reported.

In June, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan agreed to jointly fight militancy at a counter-terrorism summit in Tehran attended by their respective heads of state.

Pakistan and Iran in recent months have worked to boost bilateral relations, with officials from both countries regularly paying exchange visits.

President Asif Ali Zardari visited Tehran in July, his second in two months, as the two neighbours vowed to expand cooperation in all fields.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi also paid a two-day visit to Islamabad last week, discussing political and economic issues with Pakistani officials.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011